Together Again
by Lady-Ravenhawk
Summary: Feared by the Gods themselves, the first humans to walk the earth were torn into two bodies, each one half of one soul. Destined to search for each other through their many lives lived upon the earth, neither remembers who they once were. That is until a fateful meeting reunites them as they work to save an innocent child from the years of abuse no one else was able to see.
1. Making a Connection

Goku was excited when he appeared back at the cabin, his son in his arms ready for an entire weekend with him at the cabin, "Here we are!" He said happily and set Goten down on the ground, "Man, I've been waiting for this all day, Sabriena was cooking up a storm for the better part of the afternoon! She cooked some pasta!" His stomach growled at the thought of the menu, "Mmm and fish! You hungry, kiddo?" He took Goten's back and lead the way to the cabin door, smiling as he peered in, "We're here!"

Sabriena grinned at her husband as she fixed him and Goten huge plates of food and set them on the table. "Well, go on. Eat up." Parmesan crusted fish, matsutake mushrooms, and thinly sliced green onions sat atop heaping amounts of homemade angel-hair pasta.

"Eat up, or I'mma steal yours," Tien teased as he eagerly devoured his own. He paused to swallow and chuckled, "Sorry, I couldn't wait for you guys. I'm starving and it just smelled too good."

Goku helped Goten sit down before he got to his chair, leaning over to smell the food first and heard his stomach growl louder than before, "Wow, this smells amazing!" He carefully took his first bite, savoring it like Sabriena had so graciously taught him how to do. The memory of which brought a blush to his face. He couldn't stop his eyes from rolling back into his head and the low rumble of appreciation as he did so. He opened his eyes and saw Tien eyeing his own plate and took a moment to scoot his plate away from Tien.

The bite brought tears to his eyes it was so good. The fish was delicious and delicate, the crust was crunchy and melted on his tongue. The mushrooms alone were earthy, with a hint of spice...he slurped up a noodle into his mouth and just chewed for a second, before he stopped and pinched himself, "I have to be dead. Only angels cook this good and even then I think you'd give them a run for their money with this." He laughed as he saw Goten shoving his food into his mouth like he was a man dying of thirst, "It sure is tasty, isn't it Goten!"

Goten paused only long enough to nod, noodles hanging from his mouth, and he began to shovel them in more.

Sabriena's eyes went wide and she grabbed at her hair, turning away. All that work, just for it to be inhaled so quickly that they barely took the time to taste it. She snorted softly in laughter and dropped her hands to her sides, shaking her head. 'I give up,' she thought to herself. She glanced back at the table. At least they were enjoying it.

Tien stretched his arm out to her. "C'mere, girl." She felt butterflies at his words and bounced over to sit in his lap. "Supper was incredible," his low voice rumbled softly in her ear. A smile pulled at her lips as she leaned back against Tien and tucked her chin. He knew how stressed out she had been about Goku bringing Goten out for the whole weekend. Usually Goku only got Goten for a handful of hours at a time, so Sabriena could keep fairly busy and avoid having to interact with Goten a whole lot. Tien didn't mind spending time with his husband's son and the three of them spent a lot of time fishing together. Last time, Gohan came out and joined them, giving Sabriena a good excuse to sit up at the cabin with Lindsey and the baby. But this time was different. Three whole days of Goten being there was quite a new experience for all of them, Goten included, and Sabriena was at a near snapping point by the time Goku had left to get Goten. She just didn't do well with kids. Paige, Alice, and Phoenix she could handle because, well, Paige didn't pay her much attention and the other two were too little to be sticky or talk back yet.

Tien pressed his lips to the mating mark on Sabriena's neck, then nuzzled against her ear. "Calm down," he whispered so softly only she heard. She nodded and leaned her head back against his shoulder.

Goten swallowed the huge bite in his mouth and grinned, "This is so good! Thanks, Sabriena!"

She waved at him, still looking at the ceiling, "No problem, kiddo."

Tien smiled at Goten, "You excited about being here for the whole weekend, Sport?"

Goten nodded, his eyes wide and bright.

Goku laughed and he and Goten finished off the rest of dinner quickly. Goku stretched his arms behind his head, "Oh man! That was so good! Thank you Sabriena! Why don't you and tien relax, Goten and I will wash the dishes!" He laughed at Goten's frown, "Come on. It'll go by quickly if we work on it together. Then we'll get in the hot tub!"

Tien slid Sabriena from his lap and stood. "I'll get the fire going for the hot tub," he offered. He kissed Sabriena and squeezed Goku's shoulder as he walked past, heading out into the waning evening light.

"I gotta feed dog," Sabriena muttered, heading for the door as well, "And put the chickens up. Thanks for taking care of the dishes, Goku."

The Saiyan's eyes widened and he looked over to the perch where Zip was sleeping away, his head tucked under a wing, "I gotta feed him too. I definitely don't want a cranky bird later!" He stood up, "Did you save any fish scraps?"

"Of course," Sabriena answered and reached under the counter for a bowl and handed it to Goku. "Feed him quick before the whole cabin stinks."

Goten blinked his big eyes at the falcon on the perch. "Oh wow! Dad, can I help? I wanna feed him!"

He chuckled at his son's enthusiasm, "Well sure! Then can you run down to the river and grab some water for the dishes?" He asked as he set the bowl on the table and picked Goten up, holding him with one arm as he reached out and scratched lightly at the bird's back, "Later I'll have to show you the training we've been doing together. This guy is a fast learner!" He smiled as the bird woke up, stretching his little legs and not so little wings anymore, "Hey buddy! You hungry? If you're like me, I know you work up quite the appetite when you sleep!" He picked up one of the smaller heads of fish and handed it to Goten, "Just hold it out to him, near his feet. He knows what to do."

Goten wrinkled his nose, but picked up the fish and held it out to Zip. The falcon quickly grabbed it from the little boy's hand and viciously tore into it with his beak. "Oh wow, he's hungry!" Goten giggled. "Look at him go!" He watched in fascination as Zip quickly devoured the fish offered to him.

Goku chuckled as they fed the scraps to Zip, letting Goten pet the falcon's head when he was all finished, "Sometimes, he'll share with Dog, but not often. Only when he's in a good mood!" He set Goten on the ground, "Okay you, off to get the water! There's a pail beside the house, be sure to fill it to the brim!"

"Okay, Daddy!" Goten beamed and scampered for the door, slamming it a little too hard behind him as he hurried to do as his father asked.

Goku watched as Goten ran outside to get water for the dishes and he went over to Sabriena and pulled her to him. He looked at her with big eyes, "Thanks again Sabriena. Do you want help with the chickens?" He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"No, I can take care of them," she answered. She smiled up at him, her hazel eyes glowing with affection. "Chichi didn't give you any crap when you picked Goten up this time, did she?"

Goku threw his head back and laughed, "When doesn't she? Don't let him touch those filthy animals Goku, I mean it!" He mimicked, but shrugged, "What she doesn't know won't hurt her. Does it bother you I have to go see her to pick up Goten?"

"Yeah, but, not like I'm jealous or something stupid like that," she answered. "I just... I hate her SO much, Goku. I wish you didn't have to deal with her anymore." She wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her face into his chest. "I don't want to see you get hurt. She's hurt you enough as it is."

Goku buried his face into her hair, breathing deeply. The butterflies were in his chest as she spoke. He felt so loved, "I know. I owe you and Tien so much." His voice dropped a bit, he wrapped his arms around her securely, "Thanks to you two, I see now what she's done, but she won't hurt me again. I am so lucky to have you and Tien. Nothing will ever come between us." He kissed her mark gently, "You know I don't take these lightly," He pulled back and leaned down to kiss her nose playfully.

She smiled softly. "I know that, baby," she murmured, a pleasant thrill shooting down her spine from his touch. "I know what they mean to you. Tien and I don't take them lightly, either." She reached up and kissed back at his mark, gently tracing the dark lines with her tongue. She smirked as she felt him shiver and she pulled back, winking at him. "Dog's gonna have a fit if I don't feed him," she said quietly and turned to head out the door. "Thanks again for doing the dishes."

* * *

Dog was lapping hungrily at his supper and Sabriena had just corralled the last chicken into the coop when she heard Goten's voice. He had the bucket of water sitting on the ground next to him and was watching Tien start the fire under the hot tub. "Goten!" Sabriena hollered, "I think your dad is still waiting on you!"

Goten blinked at her, "Oh yeah! See you in a bit, Tien!" and he grabbed up his bucket and hurried into the house.

"What?" Sabriena asked at the expression on Tien's face.

"You don't have to sound so harsh when you talk to him," Tien answered patiently.

Sabriena sighed, "I didn't mean to." Her shoulders slumped as she walked over to him. "Why am I so stressed out?" she whined.

Tien chuckled and pulled her close. "Because kids stress you out?" He tucked her into his arms and sat in front of the fire pit he had also started. "It's alright. It's different for all of us. I've never really had a kid over here for so long. If it helps, just think of him as a small version of Goku and remember its just for a little while." He stared into the fire, listening to Goku and Goten laughing in the house. Goku sounded so happy when he was with his sons. It was hard to deny him this. "I hope Chichi wasn't too, you know, rude to him this time." He swallowed harshly, "I'm not letting her hurt him again."

"I told Goku the same thing," Sabriena answered. "Tien, I swear to you, if she finds a way to hurt him again..." Words couldn't describe the pain Sabriena wanted to inflict on Chichi at the thought of Goku getting hurt again. She was reduced to clenching and unclenching her fingers as if she was fighting the urge to strangle someone. She stomped her foot. "Dammit, why aren't I older? If I'd come to you sooner, maybe we could've saved Goku before he ever had to deal with any of this!"

Tien chuckled but understood what she meant. "It happened for a reason. As much as it pained him, I know Goku wouldn't do it any other way. He loves his kids and I have to say, despite their mother, they turned out rather well. We'll keep an eye on her." He lowered his voice so only she could hear. "She won't hurt him again. We won't let her." He sighed and leaned down and kissed her shoulder, his heart aching for Goku.

"Yeah, yeah, his kids," she muttered. "Too bad Goten isn't closer to Gohan's age. Maybe I wouldn't be so stressed." She paused for a minute, "No, that's no good either. Then it'd be like having two Gokus. I think one is more than enough!" she finished with a laugh.

Goku came out of the house with Goten, both wearing only a towel a short time later. They were laughing together, heading for the hot tub with was steaming by now. "Thanks for getting it ready, Tien. You two want to join us?" He helped Goten get in with a small splash before he dropped his own towel and climbed in with a sigh as the hot water soothed his muscles.

"Yup," Tien grinned, undressing quickly and hopping in the tub. "C'mon, girl," he said to Sabriena as he relaxed back in the water.

"Nah," she said. "I'll get ya'll's blankets ready. You're still camping out tonight, right?"

Tien nodded, "That's okay with you, right Goten? You, me, and your dad sleeping out by the campfire tonight?"

Goten's eyes went big and a wide smile appeared on his face, "Yeah! That's awesome! I love camping!"

Goku turned around in the tub gripping the side of the tub and gave her puppy dog eyes. "You sure you don't want to join us?"

Sabriena shook her head and slapped her thigh, "C'mon Dog."

Dog bounded happily beside her, wagging his tail, as they walked around the side of the cabin to the front.

Tien sighed and shook his head as he watched her go.

Goku sighed and turned around, looking up at the sky, "She's really upset again, isn't she?" He looked down at his son who was splashing in the water and laughing.

He looked over at his dad and he frowned, "I'm sorry, Daddy. Did I do something wrong?"

"No, it's not that, you guys," Tien said shaking his head. "She's just..." How did he explain it without hurting either of their feelings? "She's just stressed because she really wants to make this weekend nice. I think she worked herself up a bit too much and now she's worn out. She just wants to make sure everyone has a good time."

Goku smiled at him, "She really is something else. I'll have to think of something nice for her after this weekend is over." He smiled at Goten and ruffled his hair, "You be real nice to Sabriena this weekend. If she looks like she needs help, ask her if you can, okay?" He grinned as his son nodded at him. "Good. Now, I think there's something on your face!" He splashed his son, starting up a water fight of epic proportions.

The three of them spent most of the evening laughing and splashing in the water, play-fighting with Goten until he got a little too wound up and they had to call it quits for a minute. Tien sat back, smiling and stared up at the stars. This was fun. He'd never wanted children, but if Goku's son came out to stay every now and then, he didn't mind at all. He finally stretched and sat up straight. "You guys ready to hit the hay? It's gettin' kinda late." He hopped out of the tub and started to pull on his clothes. "I bet Sabriena's got everything laid out for us."

Goku helped Goten out of the tub and knelt down to towel him off while his son fought back a huge yawn.

"But… 'm not tired at all!" He blinked sleepily over at Tien and then to his father.

Goku just laughed, "Okay. Okay. Go get settled in front of the fire and we will stay up finding pictures in the sky. How about that!" Goten nodded quickly and held up his arms as Goku reached into Goten's pack and pulled out his night shirt and helped him dress, "Okay kiddo get going." He stood up and toweled himself dry and put his own clothing back on. He stretched and looked up at the sky; it was a clear night. Perfect for camping outside. He looked back over at Tien and smiled, "Thanks. For everything."

Tien smiled. "Not a problem. Goten's welcome here anytime, Goku." He threw his arm around Goku's shoulders and headed around to the front of the cabin.

Goten had flopped out on the blankets laid there on his stomach, staring into the fire, his feet kicking back and forth. "Where's Sabriena?" Goten asked.

Tien dropped his arm from Goku's shoulders. "Dunno," he answered and trotted up to the door, peeking into the cabin. Sabriena was asleep in the bed, Dog curled up beside her. He raised his head when he saw Tien and slid out of bed to trot over to him. Tien rubbed at Dog's face with both hands. "She's gonna ruin you. Go on. Get back in bed with momma." Dog licked at Tien's hand, then bounded across the cabin and leapt back into the bed, laying his head over Sabriena's side. Tien shut the door and turned towards the fire again. "Looks like it's guys night."

Goku laid down on the blankets near Goten on his back, crossing his arms behind his head. "Already asleep? She must really have been stressed about making this weekend special." His heart warmed at that. Maybe after Goten left he would find something for her. Do something nice for her. He chuckled at the thought of Tien and him running around waiting on her hand and foot, she would get on them about dinner and for doing it wrong. He smiled, and looked over at Tien walking over and standing above him. He held out an arm to him, patting the bedding next to him. He looked back up to the stars, "Look there Goten, see the dragon?"

Tien laid down at Goku's side, looking up at the stars. The air was warm and the blankets beneath him were comfortable. He felt clean and relaxed after a long soak in the hot tub. He felt himself drifting off to sleep and he rolled to his side. "Hey, Goten, what's that over there?" he asked pointing. As soon as Goten looked away, he stole a quick kiss from Goku and laid back down.

"I don't see anything!" Goten cried.

"Ha ha! Gotcha again," Tien chuckled.

Goten couldn't help but laugh.

Goku chuckled and slipped his hand down between them and grasped at Tien's hand, weaving their fingers together, unable to keep the smile off of his face. With his free hand he held out to Goten until his son was snuggled up on his side looking up at the stars, so focused on them and excited when he found a shape and pointed it out to them. His voice growing heavier, his eyelids drooping until he was fast asleep, soft snores coming from him. Goku was content and warm. He blinked sleepily over at Tien and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "Goodnight."

* * *

Sabriena woke first the next day. The bed was painfully empty, save for Dog who was stretched out on his side, taking up a good portion of the bed. "You great useless thing," Sabriena said, shoving at him. Dog groaned and didn't move. Sabriena huffed and had to climb over him to get out of bed. "Useless," she spat at him again. She dressed quickly in her tank and jean shorts, then grabbed up her basket and milk pail to head outside. She smiled down at the men as she walked past them; Goku was sprawled flat on his back with Goten curled up against one side. Tien was laying with his back against Goku, using Goku's arm as a pillow. She couldn't help but notice just how much Goten looked like his father. He was like Goku's mini-me and she had to cover her mouth with her hand to stop the snort of laughter she felt bubbling in her throat. She needed to try harder. Goten was important to Goku and she knew it. She made up her mind and reached down, gently shaking Goten awake. "Hey. Goten. You wanna come help me collect the eggs?"

Goten blinked sleepily for a second before he saw Sabriena and his eyes went wide with a large smile. He saw her press her finger to her lips and he nodded excitedly, carefully extracting himself from his father and bounded after Sabriena as she went for the chickens. He looked around excitedly. "I've never gathered chicken eggs before! Daddy said that the rooster here was mean too! I'll tackle him for you if he attacks you!"

Sabriena laughed. "I can handle the rooster," she said, picking up a switch next to the coop. She whipped it once through the air. "Don't you worry about him."

Goten winced and took a step back from Sabriena, eyeing the switch with a pained expression on his face.

Sabriena froze, and icy feeling settling into her chest. Oh, fuck no. "Hey," she said softly, "It's just to keep the rooster away. You're all right." Her grip tightened on the switch, wanting nothing more than to beat Chichi with it. Fuck. Just... fucking fuck.

Sabriena sighed and opened the small door to the coop, letting her chickens run out into the yard. The big, brightly plumed rooster strode out last, turning his head to the side to flash his mean eyes at Sabriena and Goten. "Go on," Sabriena ordered, shoving at the bird with the stick. "Come here, Goten. See these little boxes on the side of the coop? That's a nesting box." She unhooked the little latch and lifted the top, revealing the eggs laid neatly in a nest. "Put them in that basket for me, won't you?"

Goten watched Sabriena carefully, her soft words encouraging him to come take a look and with a second glance at the switch he bounded over to her side and looking into the coop with wide eyed wonder. "Oh WOW! Look at all the eggs!" He reached in and picked one up, cradling it carefully as if it would break at any moment. "Haha! It's still warm!" He moved and put it into the basket. "You want all the eggs?!" He reached back in and grabbed another one holding it carefully.

"Yup. Get 'em all," she answered. "And be careful, don't break them." She turned from Goten and set the switch back against the coop. The rooster was already across the yard, digging in the dirt. "SIBBY!" Sabriena called. "SIIIIBBY!"

The lop-eared Nubian goat wandered out of the tree line, her pink collar gleaming in the morning sunlight, a stark contrast against her chestnut brown coat. A flash of black revealed itself to be Sibby's kid, a spunky little buckling Sabriena hadn't named yet (mostly because he was probably destined for the frying pan, but she hadn't brought herself to tell Goku that yet.)

"Have you met Sibby yet, Goten?" she asked turning to look at him again. He looked horrified, staring at the ground at his feet.

Goten was as pale as a ghost. He was really going to get it now. His mother HATED it when he dropped stuff accidentally or broke glasses without meaning to. He stared horrified at the broken egg between his feet. He swallowed hard; all he wanted to do was help Sabriena and here he was messing up already. he ducked his head and hunched his shoulders, blubbering out the words, "I'm s-so sorry, Sabriena. It was an accident, honest! Please dont hit me too hard!"

Sabriena's eyes went wide and her mouth hung open. "Goten," she said softly and rushed back to him, kneeling in front of him, "Hey, kiddo, I'm not going to hit you. It was an accident. It's just an egg! We have plenty more." Her breath seemed to catch in her chest. Poor kid. God DAMN that Chichi. Goten was still upset, big tears leaking down his face. "Hey, you wanna see something funny?" Sabriena asked, picking up an egg. "Watch the chickens." She hurled the egg across the yard where it splattered in the grass. Immediately, every chicken in the yard ran for it and began to peck at the shell and spattered yolk. "Even chickens like eggs!" she grinned.

Goten gave a watery laugh and wiped at his eyes, looking up at her with big glassy eyes. "You promise you're not mad?" he asked timidly. He smiled wider at her when she nodded and he brightened up and went back for the rest of the eggs. "Whacha makin with these? OH! Are we going to have more pasta for breakfast? Last night was sooooo good!" He leaned in and talked behind his hand at her quietly, "Don't tell Momma I said this, but your food tasted better!"

"Actually, I was thinking omelets," Sabriena said, scratching at the goat's ears as she finally approached. "You take that basket of eggs and set it on the table, okay? I gotta milk the goat and then I'll cook everyone breakfast." She leaned over, "And I won't tell a soul what you said about my cooking."

Goten saw the goat, and looked over at Sabriena. "You can milk one of those? Can I watch?" He looked insecure suddenly. "Ah… That is, if I won't get in your way!" He scratched at the back of his neck, laughing. He walked closer to the goat and reached out like Sabriena was doing and carefully scratched at the goat, "Oh, wow! His ears are soft!"

Sabriena chuckled. "HER ears. Her name is Sibby." She shook her head and muttered to herself, "You wouldn't want to milk a boy goat." She squeezed her eyes shut as she walked up towards the cabin, pulling on the goat's collar, trying not to laugh at her own horrible joke. She grabbed her milking stool and sat down, setting the pail down. "Well come here if you wanna see how to do it."

Goten dutifully carried the eggs and set them outside of the chicken coop before rushing back over to Sabriena and dropping back down next to her, his knees in the dirt and he leaned forward to watch.

* * *

Goku and Tien were more than pleased to wake up to Sabriena handing each of them a plate of omelets.

Goten sitting near the smoldering ashes of the campfire, hungrily devouring every bite. "Dad! I helped gather the eggs!" Goten exclaimed between bites.

Goku's eyes widen as he accepts his eggs from Sabriena, smiling brightly at her before going over to sit next to Goten and ruffled his hair. "Did you now? Didn't let that mean old rooster get ya did you?" He took a bite of the omelets and had to close his eyes. "God, really are trying to fatten me up. All I ever want to do is eat your cooking!"

"Fattening you up for the kill," she hissed teasingly. She sat next to Tien with her own plate. "Actually, I'm just planning on working it all off of you." She winked.

Tien whapped her lightly on the back of the head. "There are children here."

She snickered, "Yeah, but we always talk like that in front of Goku. Oh! You meant Goten." She gave Goku a teasing wink.

"What's she talkin' about?" Goten asked, peering curiously up at his dad.

"Training!" Tien said a little too quickly. He cleared his throat and said calmly, "She means training."

Goku threw his head back and laughed, reaching out and fluffing Goten's hair, "Yeah, Training, You want to spar with us later today?" He smoothly diverted Goten's attention on the matter to something more tame than what Sabriena had in mind. He loved his son, but he could feel the excitement in him at being alone with his two loves after the weekend was over. He was very happy to learn that Sabriena had let Goten help her gather the eggs. Elated, he could almost do somersaults in the air.

After breakfast, Sabriena left the boys to spar in the yard while she cleaned up and started some of her chores. It was late afternoon by the time she hollered out the door for them. All day long, all she had thought about was Goten's reaction to that switch. She may have not had a motherly bone in her body, but she could still try to give him something fun to do while he was there. "Goten! You wanna help me with something real quick?" she called out the door.

Goten stopped short, causing Tien and Goku to stop short as well, lest they accidentally pummel him and he looked back to his dad, breathing hard, excitement in his eyes, "Can I daddy?!"

Goku laughed and nodded, "Better not keep her waiting!"

Goten gave a cheer and landed back on the ground, wiping his forehead with his sleeve running up and over to Sabriena, "I can help! You need more eggs?"

She laughed, "No, I think we're good on eggs today. You wanna help me make supper?"

His eyes went wide, "You want me to HELP you in the kitchen?!" He looked around her, suddenly feeling nervous. "You cook so well, I don't want to screw it up or get in your way! But I'll help you! What are we cooking? He looked around eagerly for any clues. He had been sparring all afternoon and his stomach was starting to growl at him.

"Pizzzzzzaaaa," she grinned. "There's no way you can screw this up." She grabbed him lightly by the shoulder and ushered him into the house. "Come on."

Tien cocked an eyebrow at Goku. "This I gotta see."

Goten went crazy excited, "PIZZA?! Oh wow! YEah I wanna help!" He bounced after her.

Goku raised his eyebrows at her and followed Tien into the cabin. "The only pizza I've ever had comes out of a box."

Sabriena had floured part of the table and had three large bowls sitting there with dough rising in them. Smaller bowls held cheese, chopped vegetables, thin slices of ham. The scent of tomato sauce filled the cabin, wafting over from the pot hanging in the fireplace.

"Here," she said, setting one of the bowls of dough in front of Goten as he climbed to stand in a chair next to her. "Smash it down, like this," she said, pressing the dough down in the bottom of the bowl with her fist. She flopped the bowl over and turned it out onto the floured surface, kneading it.

Goten carefully watched and mimicked what she did, putting his small fist to the bottom of the bowl carefully and flipping the bowl over, peering under it as he lifted it off to make sure it had done what it was supposed to. He laughed as he followed her, kneading his own portion carefully, he'd never been allowed to cook in the kitchen before. This was so much fun! He was going to have to ask his mom if he could help cook in the kitchen when he got back. "Like this?"

"Yup," she answered. She started flattening hers out, pressing it into a circle on the table. "Flatten yours out. I'm gonna show you something really cool here in a minute." She looked up and smiled at Tien and Goku as they sat in their chairs, watching with interest.

Tien couldn't understand what had caused her change of heart overnight, but he wasn't going to question it, especially with the look of excitement on Goten's face.

Goku watched with a childlike appreciation and wonder. He could have kissed Sabriena right then and there for that look on Goten's face.

Goten flattened his out, mashing it down a few extra times to make sure he got it right and looked up at her excitedly, "Now what?"

"Okay, now watch," Sabriena said, picking hers up and balancing it on her hands. "Bring your right hand in like this, and..." She flung the dough into the air where it spun over her head and caught it on the tops of her fists. She grinned at him. "Whaddya think of that?"

Not only did Goten's jaw drop, but Goku's fell open as well. Goten's eyes were sparkling, his grin splitting his face, "WHOA! DAD, DID YOU SEE THAT?! How did you do that?!" He looked at the dough in his hands, trying to bring his hand up and he gave it a toss where it went into the air, and fell promptly onto his head. He laughed, "Oops!"

Sabriena tossed her head back and laughed, setting her dough on the table and carefully peeling the dough off of Goten's head. "Good try. Try again," she said, handing it to him once more. She picked up her dough. "Now watch. If you keep practicing, one day you'll be able to do this." Her eyes were gleaming with a bit of pride as she took a couple steps back from the table and tossed the dough into the air again. But this time, she caught it one handed, spinning it around. She flipped the dough over and under her fist, then brought it up to roll down her arm, across the back of her shoulders to her other hand. She tossed it into the air again and spun quickly in a circle and caught it to whip it around one-handed again.

Goten was bouncing so much he nearly fell out of his chair as he watched in awe at her skills. "Oh WOW! I wanna learn how to do that! You gotta teach me! Please, please, please?!" He fumbled around with his pizza dough, as Sabriena instructed him.

Goku watched, mesmerized and leaned over to Tien, "Did you know she could do that? That's crazy! I didn't know you could play with your food like that!"

Tien watched her with wide-eyes and slowly shook his head. "I didn't know that either."

Sabriena sent the spinning circle of dough up her back and over her shoulder, catching it in front of her chest, and let it drop to the table. "Ta-da!" she beamed at Goten. "Was that cool?"

Goten furiously clapped his hands, momentarily forgetting he was holding pizza dough, "THAT WAS AMAZING! YOU ARE SO COOL! I want to do that!" He beamed as he focused on trying to toss dough just right

"Slow down, buddy," Sabriena said, stepping behind Goten, grabbing his forearms. "Watch what you're doing. Now, pull this arm in like this, keep your hand flat. There ya go. Make a fist with your other hand. Now, one... two... three!" She let go of Goten's hands as he tossed the pizza dough into the air... it spun for a moment and came back down to land in his hands once more.

Goten cheered, "I did it, I did it! Did ya see, Dad, did ya see?" He spent the rest of the time with Sabriena, tossing the pizza dough up and around until she finally laughed and told him it was time to cook, or he wouldn't be eating much. "Thank you Sabriena! When I go home, I'm gonna keep practicing, you'll see!"

"Okay, okay," she laughed, "We still have to cook it!" She grabbed the pot of pizza sauce from the fireplace and set it carefully on the table. She spooned some onto her dough, which she had set on a baking sheet, and spread it around. "Don't need too much, just enough to cover it," she said and handed Goten the spoon.

"And then, we just sprinkle on whatever toppings we want," she grinned. She covered hers with cheese, ham, mushrooms, and spinach. "Beautiful!" she sing-songed and set it on the grate in the fireplace. She dusted off her hands before she reached for another bowl of dough. She expertly flipped it around as if it were second nature to her. "What do you want on your pizza, Goku?"

Goku laughed as he tore his eyes from his son's work as he decorated his own pizza; his eyes sparkled at the amazing woman before him and he teased, "A better question would be what don't I want on that pizza? A little bit of everything! Er, a lot a bit of everything. You know what I mean," he laughed and watched as Goten piled on mushrooms and ham and cheese onto his own, sneaking a bite of the ham now and then as he decorated it.

"Mine's ready!" Goten loudly announced when his dough was thoroughly covered.

"Go set it on the rack," she said. "Put it next to mine. Don't get burned."

Goku sat up a little bit, a worried expression on his face.

"He can do it," Sabriena said calmly to her husband. "You don't want him to be insecure, do you? Let him try."

Goten, his face set in determination, grabbed up his pizza and carefully walked over to the pizza rack, the warmth from the fire was hot, but he bravely and carefully set his pizza down on the rack scooting it so it was sitting right next to Sabriena's. He jumped back when his task was complete and he threw his arms up in the air. "I DID IT! Not scared at all!" he cheered.

Goku breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed back in his chair, smiling brightly at his son, "Good work Goten!" Its all starting to smell so good! I can hardly wait!"

Before they knew it, they were all indulging in the fresh-baked pizza, each of them with their favorite toppings. Everything tasted amazingly fresh; the floury, slightly crispy dough, the zesty sauce, the rich cheese.

Sabriena closed her eyes as she chewed. "Heaven," she groaned, taking another huge bite.

Tien nodded his agreement, far too busy eating to be able to speak. He was almost keeping pace with Goku tonight, it was that amazing.

Sabriena couldn't help but smile at how quickly Goku and Goten devoured their entire pizzas. And those had been BIG pizzas.

Goku sighed happily and leaned back. Good food every day, a warm bed every night and the best company to share it with. Sabriena was right. This was heaven. He grinned as Goten finished his pizza and flopped back in his chair, "Well then! I think the chefs should rest and Tien and I will handle the dishes! You guys certainly earned it tonight!"

Goku and Tien worked side by side as they cleaned up around the kitchen. Goku was half listening to his son talking excitedly to Sabriena about tossing dough and asking her what other cool things she could do, she could make and show him, teach him. How did she get into cooking? Who taught her? Goku chuckled, "Easy with the questions Goten." He smiled at her.

"Well, I kinda taught myself," Sabriena said, sitting back in her chair. "I was about your age, actually. My dad didn't know how to cook, so I had to learn. I had to learn a lot of things, matter of fact..." she trailed off for a minute and had to swallow. "Anyway, then when I got older, I took classes at school. That's where I learned to toss the pizza dough." She managed a smile for him.

Goten smiled at her and acted like he was telling her a big secret, "Dont worry, my dad can't cook either." He laughed at Goku's exclaimed, "Hey!" and he looked at Sabriena, his eyes innocent, "Didn't your mom know how to cook?"

A small smile pulled at Sabriena's lips and she nodded. "My mom was a very good cook," she answered, "But she got really sick when I was little. She..." Sabriena hesitated, unsure of how much Goten could know about death and dying. "She went to heaven. So it was just me and Daddy after that."

Goten nodded at her, he was no stranger to death, his father had told him stories. Gohan had said a few things. "Daddy says heaven is peaceful. I bet your mommy is proud of you. Did she teach you how to cook any? I bet she'd like to try some of your food. Daddy says you go to visit your daddy often." He frowned at Sabriena's sad look. "I'm sorry. I wont ask any more. But… you don't have to be sad any more!"

Sabriena reached over and ruffled his hair. "You're all right, kid." She stood suddenly and stretched her arms over her head. "Enough talk. What would you like to do now?"

"Hey," she said, staring over at the corner at the bows setting there. "You wanna practice shooting my old bow some more?"

Goten's eyes grow wide with excitement. "Can I? Momma said it's dangerous, but I'll be extra careful, I promise!"

Goku looked over as he dried the last of the dishes and turned around. "You told your mother about that?" he asked, remembering the first time he'd brought Goten out to the cabin to visit. Tien had shown Goten how to shoot the bow at fish in the river, but Goku hadn't expected his son to tell Chichi about it. He was amazed she hadn't screamed at him the next time he saw her. "Maybe you shouldn't if it's going to upset her." He didn't want to give Chichi another reason to try to keep Goten away from him.

Goten looked at his father, clapping his hands together pleading, "Please, Dad? I'll be really extra careful! Please?! I promise I'll listen and I won't tell Momma!"

Goku considered him for a second, knowing he couldn't say "no" to that face. "Alright, but you do exactly what they say okay?"

Goten jumped up excited and he ran over to Sabriena, "I can do it, I can do it!"

Sabriena let Goten grab her hand and drag her across the cabin to the bows. "You get that white one," she said. "And don't pull on the string until Tien tells you to!" She glanced over her shoulder at him, "C'mon, Mr. Shinhan. You have a new pupil."

Tien gave a small smile and dried his hands quickly on a towel before grabbing his own bow and following them outside. "You coming, Goku?"

Goku smiled, amazed at how well Sabriena was handling the whole situation. If she was stressed out, she was handling it very well. "Yeah! Coming!" He stacked the last plate and turned and hurried out the door after the rest of them. He went to the fire pit and worked on getting it going, watching Goten following after Tien and Sabriena. He was dutifully holding the bow carefully and not pulling on the string at all. He hadn't seen his son looking so happy before. He smiled to himself, building up the fire. He was so content. This… this was what he wanted in his family.

Tien knelt beside Goten. "You remember what I showed you last time?" he asked.

Goten nodded. "Good," Tien said and placed the bow in Goten's left hand, showing him the proper way to hold it, refreshing his memory on how to draw, how to aim.

Sabriena wandered over to Goku as he got the fire going and leaned over his back, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm not very good at this mothering thing," she said to him, "but I'm trying."

Goku reached up, rubbing his hands along her arms, tilting his head back to look at her. "You could have fooled me." He leaned his head to the side and kissed at her arm. "I wasn't expecting you to be. I mean, not that," he sighed, trying to think of how to put this, "I was hoping you would at least be friends. It means a lot to him. I don't think Chichi lets him get out very much. She's big into homeschooling the kids when they're young. I think little Trunks is like his only other friend. Well, and Paige." He smiled back up at her, reaching up and cupping her cheek, her skin looking golden in the firelight and waning sun. "Thank you."

She pressed her lips to his, smothering his mouth in a deep kiss. He understood. Thank the gods, he understood.

Goku sighed happily into the kiss, relishing in it. She and Tien made the past twenty years of torture for him just fade away into nothing. So much love in one simple gesture. He lifted his hand and slid his fingers into her hair, the silken strands cool against his skin. He withdrew from her a moment later, smiling at her before he turned his attention to watch Tien showing Goten how to properly draw back the bowstring, how to release it without hurting himself.

Sabriena jumped up and ran into the cabin, reappearing a moment later with the bow Tien had made for Goku. She nudged Goku's shoulder with it. "Go show 'em how it's done," she grinned. "Go shoot with your son."

Goku brightened up, standing and turning, taking the bow from her. Holding onto it, with her holding the end of the bow and pulled her close, leaning down and stealing one more kiss before he gave her a goofy grin and headed over to Tien and Goten, "Let me take a whack at it!"

It became a game, trying to see who could shoot closer to the center of the tree, Goten doing very well for his first time. Though after about a hundred or so, Goten started laughing, his arms getting sore.

"Was that fun?" Sabriena asked Goten, resting her elbow on the top of his head. "Hey, you're a good height. You're my new armrest."

Goten laughed, bubbling up and warm, "Hey! Hahaha! Yeah it was fun! Do you guys go hunting with those often? That is so awesome! If I practice real hard, think I could come with you guys some time? I'll be all stealthy like! Those deer won't hear me coming!" he exclaimed loudly, grinning at her.

Tien snorted, amused. "I dunno, Sport. I think they'd hear you coming a mile away."

Sabriena laughed as Goten blushed. "He's just teasin' ya, kid. Maybe one of these days." There was no way she was taking this kid hunting with her. He was way too loud.

Goku was laughing so hard. The night had fallen around them, the trees cast with shadows and firelight. He came back over to the campfire and sat down, unstringing the bow and setting it aside for the night, looking over at Goten. "And what would you do with what you got?"

Goten looked excitedly at Sabriena, "I want Sabriena to show me how to make deer steaks!"

Sabriena grinned at her new cooking partner. "Sure, we can do that."

* * *

The weekend past by too quickly and before they knew it, it was time for Goten to go home. Sabriena helped Goten make sure he had all of his stuff and promised him that she would teach him how to cook something new in a couple of weeks when he came to visit again.

Goten shouldered his pack and looked at her excitedly. "Really? You promise?!" He was so excited; Momma had told him that Tien and Sabriena probably wouldn't want him around, but here Sabriena was telling him he could come back in a few weeks. "That would be awesome!" He stepped forward, but then stops, looking a little shy, "Ah… I, um… I… Can I give you a hug?"

Sabriena smiled and threw her arms wide to hug Goten tightly. "Now you be good," she said softly in his ear. "I don't want you getting in trouble with your mom, okay?" She hated to let him go, to send him back to his mother. That bitch. Goten just seemed to cling to her neck, not wanting to let go. She finally had to gently shove him away and smiled, "You're my new buddy. I can't wait for you to come visit again."

Goten's eyes shone with tears of happiness and he smiled widely at her, seeming to brighten the whole cabin. He looked so much like his dad; he had the same innocence about him. "I'll be good! I promise, Sabriena! Thanks so much for everything! I can't wait to cook with you again!" He waved to her and ran outside to his dad, tackling Tien first, hugging him just as tightly as he had Sabriena, "You're gonna teach me more about bows when I come back right?!"

"Sure thing, Sport," Tien smiled. "One of these days, I'll teach you how to make one, just like mine and your dad's and Sabriena's."

Goku smiled at Goten as he talked excitedly with Tien about making his own bow, promising he'd come back ready to learn. For Goku, the weekend had flown by and it had gone without a hitch. He was going to have to thank Sabriena for all her hard work later. She stressed out for nothing; it worked out wonderfully.

"Alright kiddo, you ready to go?" He leaned down and picked him up, hugging him tightly as Goten hugged his neck and pressed a kiss to his father's cheek.

"I love you daddy."

Goku smiled and kissed him back, "Lets go." He waved to Sabriena and Tien, "I'll be back in a few guys!"

Tien waved, then breathed a sigh of relief. The weekend had gone much smoother than he had anticipated. He hadn't been sure what to expect. Sabriena's reservations about being around kids had made him a bit nervous. But she had done wonderfully. He needed to tell her that.

She wandered out of the house, looking around. "Did they leave?"

Tien turned around and chuckled at her, "Yes, yes, the kid is gone. But I want you to know you did a fantastic job." He pulled her closer to him and wrapped her in his arms and kissed her forehead. "It wasn't that bad, was it?"

"No, it's just..." she hesitated. She wasn't even sure how to approach the subject. She was worried about poor little Goten. Without Goku there to protect him, did Goku even know that his ex-wife punished their children like that? "Tien, I'm worried about Goten."

Tien blinked at her with concern. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" He could hear the worry in her voice, he could feel it from her through their bond. "You're worried about him coming back here? Or going home? Did he say something to you?"

Sabriena looked at the ground for a minute, chewing her lip. "Okay, so you know the switch I keep over by the chicken coop?"

Tien nodded.

"Well, when Goten and I went to get the eggs that first morning, I picked it up in case the rooster got after us. And Goten... he was afraid of it! Like, he just went all tense. And I let him get the eggs out of the nesting boxes. He dropped one and just started bawling, asking me not to hit him too hard. Tien, I think Chichi WHIPS that poor boy!" There were tears brimming in her eyes by the time she finished. Yes, Sabriena despised most children, but she would never, in a million years, agree with beating a child.

Tien was shocked, not only at her words, but the tears in his wife's eyes. It was a very rare thing for Sabriena to cry. He processed the information over in his head, feeling anger seep into his skin. To think anyone would want to whip that sweet boy. "I really… HATE… that woman."

"Should I say something to Goku when he gets back?" Sabriena asked in a worried voice. She hated to see Goku upset, but at the same time, she felt she couldn't keep something like this from him.

Tien nodded slowly. "He might..." he pressed his lips together, "Chichi has told him a lot of lies, you know? He might think that it's normal, acceptable even. But yeah, we need to tell him about this. How could she do this to him?"

"I can't stand that bitch," Sabriena muttered. She looked quickly up at Tien, "And no, I will not do pushups for that one."

Tien hugged her tightly, "I wasn't going to make you." He leaned down and kissed her. He felt terrible; he turned when Goku appeared behind them. He looked happy.

"Man, you guys, I can't thank you enough for this weekend. Goten was so excited, he was begging me to bring him back here as soon as I could!"

"You bring your boy here as much as you want, Goku," Tien said, meeting Goku's eyes intently. "I mean that."

Sabriena was standing slightly behind Tien, her hands twisting together, staring hard at the ground. Goku was so happy about the way the weekend had gone, she hated to ruin it for him. But this was eating her alive. She'd managed to keep a happy face on for Goten while he was there, a handy trick she'd used most of her life before letting Tien and Goku into her heart and breaking down that cold wall, but now that Goten was gone, she felt she couldn't keep it up anymore.

Goku picked up on the air around them and his smile faltered, "Ah… That's good news. What's wrong, you guys? Is everything alright?" Sabriena's look on her face unsettled him as he walked over to them.

"Come here, baby," Sabriena said softly, taking Goku's hand. "I'm really worried about Goten." She explained everything to him, about the switch and the broken egg, how he'd cried and begged her not to hit him too hard. She looked truly sorry that she was telling him this, her hazel eyes full of worry.

Goku listened to her words, feeling a crushing weight pressing down on him. He stumbled over his words as he spoke, "I… I know Chichi… she used to spank Gohan and Goten." He faltered in his words, seeing the both of them shaking their heads, "for discipline? She… She's whipping him?" He looked horrified.

"He made it seem that way," Sabriena whispered.

Tien was still slightly skeptical. "Maybe Goten was playing it up just because he didn't want a spanking? Just because she spanks him doesn't necessarily mean she's BEATING him," he said. He didn't like the look on Goku's face. The poor man had been through enough as it was.

"She shouldn't spank him at all!" Sabriena nearly screamed. "I don't think children should ever be spanked!"

Tien cocked an eyebrow at her. He disagreed with that. "There's nothing wrong with a kid getting a spanking if they deserve it, but there's a fine line between discipline and abuse."

Goku mulled it over in his head, thinking back over the past few years with Chichi. She had spanked Goten a few times, but nothing too serious. "I only saw her do it a few times when he forgot to do a chore, or he got a problem wrong on his homework. Nothing like switching, though." He sighed and pressed the heel of his hand to his face. "I… I'll go talk with Gohan. Maybe he knows something and if something is going on, he will be able to help his brother." He looked back up at them, looking pale, "Thanks for tell me. I'll be back in a little bit."

* * *

Gohan rubbed at his face after hearing the story from his dad. Sure, his mom spanked him when he was little. But she'd never used a switch. Well, there was that one time she took it too far, but it was just the once and she promised she'd never do it again. "Is Sabriena sure that's what he said?" Gohan asked, sitting down on the couch next to his dad.

Goku nodded numbly, looking down at the floor, "Word for word. She said he said when he dropped an egg to please dont hit him very hard. Why on earth would he say something like that?" He looked up at Gohan, his expression was haunted. Did he just take his youngest son back to his mother's only for more of that? He remembered Goten hugging him again as he was dropping him back off. Chichi was standing in the doorway, her arms crossed. She sounded pleasant enough, saying it was time for homework before bedtime. No kid wants to do homework, but now Goku was trying to remember if he felt Goten trembling or not.

Gohan narrowed his eyes. "You let me deal with mom," he said. "I'll go there first thing in the morning. I'll bring him here and tell Mom that I'll help him with his homework so he doesn't get behind. I'll find out what's really going on." Gohan's stomach was twisting up in knots. Did it never end with his mother? He loved her, but she made it very hard to do so. He was racking his brain, trying to remember every time he'd ever gotten in trouble as a child.

Goku smiled at Gohan, "Thanks. I wish there was more I could do, but its like she has a wall up any time I go over to get Goten." He stood; he felt better knowing he could still trust Gohan to help him. "Really Gohan, I mean it. Thank you. Will you let me know as soon as you find something out, right?" He let out a sigh of relief at Gohan's nod and he gave him a hug. "Sorry its late. Tell Lindsey and Phoenix I said hi, okay?"

"You could tell us yourself, you know," Lindsey said, walking into the living room, carrying Phoenix on her hip. She smiled brightly at him. "Dad, you gotta see this. Phoenix has to show you something." She carefully lowered Phoenix to the floor where he stood, holding onto her fingers to steady himself. "Phoenix, look! It's Grandpa. Go get him. Go to Grandpa."

Phoenix gave Goku a big smile and let go of his mother's fingers, taking a wobbly step forward, then another.

"Easy," Gohan said, crouching down, prepared to grab the toddler if he started to fall. Phoenix wobbled with every step, but he was determined. He made it the short distance across the room and grabbed onto Goku's pant leg, grinning up at his grandpa.

Goku's eyes widened and he picked up his grandson and whirled him around in a circle before hugging him close. "WOW! You're walking already?! That's amazing! You're going to be running around the house in no time aren't you, little guy!" He only grinned wider when he felt the tiny tail curling around his arm. He smiled over at Lindsey and walked over to her, wrapping her in a tight hug, before handing Phoenix back over. "There's your mommy!"

She could see the concerned look in his eyes. "You okay, Dad?" she asked, tipping her head to the side.

"We've got it taken care of," Gohan interrupted before Goku could speak. He didn't want his dad to have to retell the story again. He walked over and grabbed up Phoenix before he met his father's eyes. "Don't worry about it, dad. I'll take care of it. It's late. You should get some rest."

Lindsey wanted to press the issue, but she knew better. Gohan would tell her later. She stepped forward and hugged Goku. "Come see us sometime when you can stay longer, okay?"

He hugged her tightly, more properly this time, embracing her warmly. "You got it kiddo." He stepped back and smiled at them both, feeling better and pressed his fingers to his forehead, vanishing and reappearing back at Tien's cabin, their cabin, his home. He let out a sigh. What a weekend. He tried to take Gohan's advice, let it go until Gohan told him otherwise.

* * *

**A Note from the Authors: **Hello again, everyone! JC 87 and I are so excited to get started on the newest story in our series! For anyone who is new, you can find the other stories by going to my profile. Be warned, the first three stories are in the process of being rewritten, so Elements is incomplete at the moment. And the other two, well, in my defense I wrote them 13 years ago. LOL! This is the 11th story in our series, with many more to follow! There have been complaints in the past that we bash on Chichi, so be warned that she may seem exceedingly horrible. It's not that we hate her, exactly, but that we use all of these stories to tell an even bigger story with her over the long run. It'll all come together in the end. Ya'll just have to stick around for another 9 or so novels to get to that point. LOL!

As always, the more reviews we get, the more it inspires us to write! I think that's probably true for most authors; who doesn't like to hear commentary about their work? We love you guys and we hope you enjoy this new story!


	2. A Little Bit of Magick

Tien jumped slightly when Goku appeared. "Dang it, warn a person, would ya?" he laughed lightly, clutching at his chest.

Goku laughed and teased him, "That's right, gotta go easy around ya. Wouldn't want to scare you into a heart attack." He gave him a serious look that lasted all of five seconds before he beamed at him and he went over to the fire pit and sat down staring into the flames.

"Gettin' tired of the old man jokes," Tien grumbled, but couldn't keep the amusement out of his voice. "She's gettin' real bad about it," he said, jerking a thumb over his shoulder at the shower. He sat down next to Goku and threw his arm around his shoulders. The silence between them grew. Tien didn't know what to say. He wanted to distract Goku, to take his mind away from the newest, and seemingly never ending, drama. He did the only thing he could think of, something he'd been wanting to do all weekend, but didn't want to cause problems in front of Goku's boy. He turned Goku's face towards him and captured his lips in a passionate kiss, tangling his fingers into Goku's silky black hair, pulling him tighter into the kiss.

Goku sighed into the kiss, practically melting into Tien's hold, tilting his head at just the right angle so that their mouths were melded together. He was left wanting and panting when Tien finally parted. He smiled at Tien, "Thanks for. you know, resisting in front of Goten." He looked over at Sabriena to invite her over to their group.

"Ah, I wouldn't do anything to, you know, confuse your boy," Tien answered as he reached up and pulled Sabriena into his lap. Her skin was still wet from the shower, her hair dripping onto his shirt.

"Three daaaaays," she groaned and captured Tien's mouth with her own, wriggling her naked form in his lap. Tien moaned into the kiss, his hand sliding up her hot, wet curves. She broke the kiss, pulling on his bottom lip with her teeth. She turned towards Goku, reaching for him. "Come here, sexy."

Goku eagerly complied with her wishes, leaning forward and meeting her halfway there, her soft lips pressing against his own. He reached around her, grasping one of Tien's hands in his own, sighing into the kiss at the contact of firm, strong hands matching his own, taking the time to be gentle with him. Easy... Gods he had missed them. Even though they had been together, it felt like they had been miles apart. He remember in the hot tub with Tien. Or laying out under the stars, enjoying a quickly stolen kiss. He felt loved and content and after the way they had handled being around his son for an extended period of time, his heart was bursting for them. He murmured quietly against Sabriena's shoulder, "Don't leave me you guys. Never."

"We're not leaving you, baby," Sabriena purred, pressing her lips to the mating mark on his neck. "It's the three of us forever."

Tien kissed the back of Sabriena's neck and squeezed Goku's fingers in his hand. He had to have them, here, out in the open in front of his cabin, their cabin. He had to take Goku's mind off the worry and the fear. And Sabriena needed to be rewarded for being so amazing all weekend long. His free hand trailed up to her breast, softly caressing the heavy curve, his fingers flicking gently side to side, making the flesh firm at his touch. She gasped lightly and opened her mouth over the mark on Goku's neck, pressing her tongue against it, tracing the slightly raised lines.

Goku couldn't stop the gasp that escaped his throat at the pleasure of Sabriena's hot mouth over the mark on his neck. He felt Tien lifting his hand up and place it on Sabriena's other breast. He eagerly cupped the flesh in his hand, flicking his thumb over the sensitive nub there until it pebbled under his touched and Sabriena was left gasping. Goku leaned over Sabriena, she was practically in both of their laps. Tien and him were so close already, he easily caught his lips, nibbling on them as their eyes met. A shiver ran down his spine; it was like he and Tien had shared a thought. Wordlessly, they pulled away and looked at Sabriena, moving her back against the soft blankets and pillows still left there from the night before. Goku took a moment to lean down, biting lightly at the mating mark on her shoulder.

Sabriena gasped with pleasure, running her hands through Goku's hair as he sat back up. She smiled at him, then looked to Tien, who returned her smile. Her eyes flicked back and forth between them and she giggled, "What are you two up to?"

Tien pulled his shirt off and cast it aside, then laid on his side next to her, propping his head up on his elbow. He trailed his hand lightly up the inside of her thigh, over her hip, coming to a rest on the flat plain of her lower stomach. Her skin was hot and damp against his palm as he ran his eyes slowly over her body. The warm glow of the fire danced over her skin, catching and sparkling on the little drops of water. His heart hammered in his chest as he stared at her, his stomach twisted in pleasant, nervous knots as he grew hard against the fabric of his pants. He shifted a bit and smiled at her. "Goku and I were thinking you need a reward for being so amazing all weekend," he said, his gravelly voice low and soft.

"Oh really?" Sabriena asked, her eyes lighting up. She reached for Goku's hand, twisting her fingers into his.

Goku hummed appreciatively, "Mmm..." He looked her over her, the way she slightly thrust her hips up, begging to be touched. His eyes fell to her breast, so firm, so full. He wanted her. He leaned down, his nose nuzzling at the soft flesh, bumping her hardened nub. He could smell that sweet scent of her and his mouth watered for her. He stiffened in his pants,Tien's gravelly voice sending more shivers down his spine. He cupped her breast and thumbed over the nipple once, twice more before he lifted his lips to her ear and murmured, "I wish I could drink you in." He leaned down before she could respond and sealed his hot lips around that nipple, suckling her.

Sabriena closed her eyes and gasped at Goku's hot mouth over her. She squirmed against the blankets, her hand clawing at the back of his shirt. Her eyes flew open as she felt Tien's mouth close over her other breast. Both men lay on either side of her, their chests pressed up against her ribcage, their mouths pulling at her breasts. It amazed her; just the simple way they moved their mouths reflected so much of their unique personalities. Goku sucked hungrily at her, playfully flicking the tip of his tongue over her as his hand squeezed her breast. Tien was slow and deliberate, drawing his tongue meticulously over it, tracing the edge, as his hand lay firmly over the lower part of her belly, the place that would swell when he was inside her. "Tien..." she breathed heavily. "Goku..."

Goku moaned against her, he moved his free hand down her chest, briefly caressing Tien's hand and giving a tug on him before he went further down between Sabriena's legs where her center was burning hot. He pushed two fingers into her, up to his knuckle, his mouth pushing her back against the ground as she arched up. He twirled his tongue around her sweet flesh.

Tien's hand followed Goku, stopping to tease the sensitive nub of flesh between her legs as Goku worked his fingers in and out of her. Sabriena bucked her hips against their hands, asking for more. Tien dipped the tips of his fingers into her, wetting them, and drew them back up to twirl over her clit again, making her moan with pleasure. He sucked harder at her and shifted again. He was aching for her, wanting to feel that slick, tight heat around him. No, this was about her. He wanted for her to do nothing but lay back and enjoy this until she was absolutely exhausted from pleasure. Oh, but what a delicious torment it was for himself at the same time.

Goku had to stop himself from thrusting against Sabriena; he could feel himself leaking out against his clothing, his pants restricting himself. Sweet agony. He could smell both of his mates arousal. He owed Tien much for this weekend, too. He shivered at the thought of Tien sliding hotly into his own body after Sabriena was spent. Over and over. He sucked harder at her, working a nub between his teeth, trying to draw out her essence even though there was none to be had.

Sabriena shivered violently beneath the assault of her husbands. Tien sucked harder at her, his hand teasing her, making her ache inside and clench around Goku's strong fingers that pressed into her. There was something needful about the way Goku suckled at her. "I wish I could drink you in," he had whispered. Did he mean that literally? She wanted to give him everything he ever asked for. This man, both of these men, who had sacrificed so much of themselves over the years deserved to be given everything they could possibly ever want in life. Oh, she wanted to give them that. But how? She could feel Tien's mouth pulling at her differently now, as if he and Goku were sharing the same thought, both of them pressing their faces against her breasts, sucking hard at her nipples, their bodies tensed, shifting as if resisting the urge to plunge themselves into her. Little glitters of golden light danced over her hair as she grabbed the backs of their necks, holding them to her. Not transforming, but just the magick growing within her, building. But it was different. It didn't pool in her stomach the way it usually did, but in her chest. Her breasts felt heavier, fuller, as her men sucked and licked and teased her. It felt like her breasts were swelling slightly from the inside out, and Goku, oh gods, the way his mouth worked over her, it felt like he was pulling that energy all the way through her breast and into his mouth.

Goku's eyes went wide as a sweetness suddenly spilled over his tongue. It was delicious, like the smoothest cream and honey. He swallowed and the warmth spread throughout him as it slid down his throat. He gave a strangled noise of pleased surprise and suckled her with earnest, coaxing more hot liquid from her.

Tien's eyes opened as he felt a warm liquid on his tongue. He broke away from her breast, looking startled.

Sabriena looked at him. "Baby?" she asked softly.

Tien tipped his head towards her, "Are you okay?"

She nodded and squeezed the back of his neck with her slender fingers. "It's just a little magick," she whispered.

Tien swallowed, the sweet flavor still dancing on his tongue and he cautiously lowered his face to her again. He sucked lightly, testing the feel of that liquid on his tongue. It was sweet, sweeter than anything he'd ever tasted, but not overpowering. He swallowed, feeling it warm his insides and he opened his mouth wider, taking in as much of her breast as he could and began to drink deeply from her body.

Goku shuddered as he suckled from her, milking from her nectar of life. He almost forgot to keep moving within her, pushing his fingers back into her slick heat, adding a third finger. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he suckled down mouthful after mouthful of Sabriena's magick. He felt himself hardening. It shouldn't have turned him on as much as it did, the way she cupped the back of their heads, the way her fingers slid through his hair, holding him to her breast. He wanted her. All of her. He could feel a fullness growing in his stomach as he fed, making him harder than before. He wanted Tien inside of him then. To feel full.

Sabriena groaned as she felt them draining her body, like a long, slow orgasm. Her body clenched around Goku's fingers as he feverishly thrust them into her, Tien's fingers pressed against her clit, making her writhe. A burning ache ripped through her body as she climaxed, making her cry out her pleasure. The waves of ecstasy washed over her every nerve, setting her on fire from the inside out. She collapsed back against the blankets, utterly spent. They were still suckling from her, drawing out the last drops of magickal liquid. "Stop," she begged softly. "Please..." She was utterly exhausted. They'd drained nearly every drop of energy from her in the most erotic, intimate way possible.

Goku shuddered, feeling Sabriena's orgasm coursing through her body, her center clutching fervently at his fingers, drawing them further into her. He cried out as he keened against her, drinking down the last drop from her, feeling the soft mound decreasing beneath his tongue. He wanted more. He let her slip from his mouth looking up through glazed eyes. "Tien," he moaned.

Tien gently pulled back from Sabriena, panting heavily and carefully kissed her breast, looking up at her. "Baby, you okay?" he whispered.

She nodded and smiled, her eyes barely open. "That... was amazing..." she panted, trailing her fingertips down his strong bicep.

Tien jumped slightly at the sound of Goku's voice speaking his name. It sent pleasant shivers up his spine and he turned to the Saiyan. He could see the lustful look in Goku's eyes as he withdrew his hand from Sabriena's body and sucked his own fingers. Tien felt a nervous excitement coil in his stomach. He spared a glance back at Sabriena; she was too exhausted to continue and nearly asleep already. He and Goku were going to have to take care of each other. He'd spent a lot of time one-on-one with Goku while they had worked to rescue their wife, but they both had been so stressed out at the time that sex had never crossed their minds. Now he was faced with the prospect of sex alone with his husband and, despite a bit of nervousness, he couldn't help feeling a little excited. He was so used to the three of them together all the time; sex with just Goku or just Sabriena was a rare thing.

Goku moved from Sabriena's warm side into Tien's embrace. He wanted to give Tien something back. He wanted him. He moved with more confidence than he ever had before. The old him would have been embarrassed, but not now. He had satisfied his wife and now he wanted his husband. He striped off the remainder of his clothes, moving to pull away Tien's belt, cupping his hardness through his pants. He ached for him. He wanted the other man hip deep inside of him.

Tien gasped at Goku's touch and allowed him to tear away the last of his clothing. They were facing each other, standing on their knees, not meeting the other's eyes. They both knew what they wanted. With a trembling hand, Tien reached for Goku, wrapping his strong grip around Goku's hard length and began to stroke it firmly. He smiled as he saw Goku shudder and he grabbed his wrist, guiding that hand to his own throbbing shaft.

Goku let his own hand mimic Tien's, curling his warm hand around the hot and impossibly hard shaft. He was reminded again of how large Tien was. Excitement coursed through him. He wanted to watch Tien as he took him this time, as his shaft speared into his body so deeply it was inescapable. He leaned down first, licking tentatively at the large blunt head, furiously red and he swallowed it into his mouth. Another desire hit him to devour Tien, to drink as deeply from his body as he had Sabriena.

Tien moaned in bliss and arched his back as Goku's hot mouth consumed him. He tangled both of his hands in Goku's hair, guiding his speed, pulling him farther over his swollen cock. "Nnnnn... Goku..." he groaned, feeling his tongue pressing against his shaft, his mouth pulling at him.

Sabriena had curled up on her side, her knees up to her chest, and was watching them through heavy eyes, smiling contentedly at her husbands as they pleasured each other.

Goku drew his attention once more by moaning deep in his throat, taking more of Tien's length into his mouth. "There ya go," Tien said in his low voice, reaching down to cup Goku's throat, rubbing it lightly to help him relax. "Take all of me... please, Goku..."

Gods, that voice. The low deep pitch of Tien's voice commanding him, begging him. Goku felt felt his own hardness twitch in response. How could he refuse such a request? Feeling Tien's strong fingers massaging his throat, feeling that rock hard cock being pressed into him, it took all of his willpower to not spend himself then and there. He swallowed around Tien, his earthy musk almost as delicious as the matsutake mushrooms that grew in the forest around their home. With a groan, he relaxed his jaw and pushed himself further down Tien's length until his nose was nestled into the soft curls at the base. Tien was so deep inside of him; he would not have the choice but to swallow when he spilled his seed. Excitement ran through him at the thought.

Tien shivered harshly before composing himself. "Yes," he breathed. He rocked his hips forward gently, feeling himself slide in and out of Goku's throat. He threw his head back, still holding onto Goku's hair. Gods, the way that man's throat swallowed around him, devoured him. He could feel himself stretching Goku's throat just slightly. He was so willing. Tien looked down to watch, seeing how Goku's eyes were closed with the most blissful expression on his face, like all he wanted to do was to please Tien.

He could feel his release building, he'd been aching for it ever since he'd pulled Sabriena into his lap. "Goku," he said, his voice strained. Oh, he wanted to come in his mouth, but he wasn't sure if that was what Goku wanted. He wanted to give him a chance to retract. "I'm close," he warned in a husky whisper.

Goku shuddered at Tiens words and impaled himself further upon Tien, feeling that blunt head hit the back of his throat and travel beyond that. He wanted his husband's essence to fill him up. He was so full from Sabriena, he could feel his stomach swollen from it already. To have them both, to feel Tien explode down his throat impossibly filling him so completely would be heaven.

The sheer force and enthusiasm from Goku pushed Tien over that edge and he felt himself pour into Goku's throat the next instant. He growled and shuddered against Goku's face, leaning forward, pressing Goku's head against his hips. His senses were singing as he thrust gently into that hot mouth, feeling him still suckling the last drops from his hardened shaft. Oh gods, such relief.

Goku surrendered to Tien, the hot liquid pouring into his body triggered his own orgasm as he realized he had both his wife and his husband's hot essence filling him so completely. So fully. He shuddered unable to suppress his own groan as his own pearly white strands splattered into the ground beneath him. He gently released Tien, kissing the tip of the spent shaft with a shudder of delight. He still trembled from the force of his own orgasm and now he was more determined than ever that he would feel that hard cock spreading him wide.

Tien was still shivering slightly. Oh wow. He cupped Goku's chin, raising him up to face him, their eyes meeting intensely before Tien kissed him, their tongues dancing against each other. He wrapped his arms around the Saiyan, hugging their chests together, tasting Sabriena's milk and his own essence on Goku's tongue. The taste made that longing want creep back into his body. Goku had come without hardly being touched. It wasn't fair, Goku deserved more than that. Tien reached down and grabbed Goku's flesh, gently tugging at it, feeling it start to harden in his hand again. He broke the kiss and whispered in Goku's ear. "I'm up for more if you are. Just tell me how you want it."

Goku shivered in Tien's grasp. He nodded that he wanted more. He licked his lips and looked around, before he moved back to recline on one of the other beddings near sabriena, but just out of her reach. He laid on his back and met Tien's intense gaze as he reached down to himself and gathered some of the slick essence still there, barely coating his fingers before he reached down further and touched the tight ring of muscle. He should have been embarrassed about such an intimate action, but he wasn't. Not with that look of sheer desire in Tien's eyes. His voice was low and raw when he spoke, "I want you. All of you. Inside of me." His voice turned a touch dark and his eyes were burning with desire for his husband, "Fuck me."

Tien's breath caught in his chest. He'd never had such a filthy word turn him on so much. He stroked himself a few times, making his shaft completely rigid again. It was still slick and wet from Goku's mouth and he moved to position himself between Goku's legs. He leaned over his husband, their hard lengths brushing against each other, and kissed him deeply. "Whatever you want," he breathed. He sat up and grabbed Goku by the backs of his thighs, lifting his legs, allowing Tien access to his body. He released one leg and smirked to himself as Goku kept his leg in the air, and Tien gripped himself, rubbing the head of his shaft over the opening to his mate's body, teasing him, relishing the way Goku squirmed slightly. He pressed himself against the hard ring of muscles, watching his reaction. He was panting, short cries issuing from his throat as Tien's erection ever so slowly slid into his incredibly tight body.

Goku's mouth went dry. Oh by the gods, it was slow and oh so delicious. There was pain as Tien split his body, his shaft like a wedge being driven deep, inescapable. He loved every single inch. Goku wanted this and it was better than he could have imagined. He keened as the slow burn built between them as Tien pressed forward so slowly, sinking in another few centimeters. Goku's own length was hard and angry red. It twitched against his stomach and smeared precome over his fevered skin.

He reached down between them, feeling the point where Tien pierced his body and he threw his head back at that alone. Gods, this wasn't going to take long, he thought as he bucked up into Tien's grasp as the hard length brushed that bundle of nerves inside of his body that made him see stars. Using his legs, he wrapped them around Tien's waist and in one quick movement, slammed them together, taking the rest of his mate's cock in an instant. It was like a punch to the gut and he gasped for air at the delicious sensation. He looked up at Tien before he pulled him down for a harsh kiss, "Come on, Tien. Harder."

Tien didn't need telling twice. He began to thrust into Goku, feeling the savage heat enveloping his throbbing shaft. Goku's legs around his waist, he leaned into every thrust, feeling Goku's hard length pressed against his stomach. He sat up just enough to reach between their bodies, gripping Goku's cock roughly and stroked it as he drove harder into his body, filling him, stretching him. Tien ached for release, but he held back. Not yet. He was going to make sure his husband was taken care of first. He wanted to watch, to see the look of bliss on Goku's face, to feel his cum spill over Tien's fingers, to feel that clenching pull around his own shaft.

Goku's eyes rolled into the back of his head at the sensations that assaulted his body. Tien driving into him, his hand firm around his aching length, Tien's body putting delicious friction on it. Tien was huge inside of him, but he relished in it. After a moment, he gave up on censoring his primal howls of pleasure as his body was plundered.

He felt the change, the build of his power upon him and he welcomed it, screaming out as his hair lifted and flashed into a brilliant gold. He opened his eyes and met Tien's own as he winked at him before a particularly hard thrust left him breathless. He clutched at Tien's body as he wanted to milk every drop from him when he came. His face began to falter as he neared that edge. He was so close.

He reached up and pulled Tien down as he bucked into him to bite at the mating mark on his neck. Goku finally let himself peak and roared out as he did so when he felt his shaft pulse in Tien's grasp, his hot essence spilling between those talented fingers.

Tien hurried his pace then, feeling Goku's body tense around him as he squeezed Goku's shaft, emptying it of every exquisite drop. Gods, he looked beautiful like that, his eyes green and his hair golden, his aura illuminating the yard around them. Tien was desperate for release again as he pounded his rock hard shaft into the smaller man, rutting as deeply inside him as he could, his climax building. He raised his hand to his mouth and sucked the liquid of Goku's body from his knuckles. Salty sweet, coating his tongue. He sucked his knuckles harder as a roar of pleasure rumbled in his throat. His body drained into Goku's. He gave one last powerful, shuddering thrust and laid over Goku's chest, sweating and panting, kissing his chest, his lips brushing a nipple, completely and totally spent.

Goku's hair fell back to normal and he brought his arms up around Tien's body, both of them covered with a thin sheen of sweat. Tien melded with him and he was still so deep inside of him. Goku could feel Sabriena's eyes as she watched the both of them. He lifted his head, kissing Tien's lips affectionately. He was spent, he was full. He felt held and cherished. He never wanted to move again. He never wanted a life without this man, that woman. His husband and wife. They were both his and he was both theirs, truly and completely. "I love you, Tien," he said honestly before he tilted his head back to look at their wife, "And we love you Sabriena."

She smiled softly and crawled over to them. "And I love you both," she whispered, kissing Goku's lips gently, then leaned over to kiss Tien. All three of them were blissfully worn out. "Quick soak in the hot tub then bed?" Sabriena suggested.

Tien nodded, still trying to clear his brain. He was sweating and starting to ache. His front was covered with Goku's essence. The hot water sounded like the perfect end to their night.


	3. Whiskey Lullaby

"GOKU!" Sabriena called out the door, then turned back to the table, double checking the containers of food. "We're already late," she muttered.

"He's coming," Tien said, sitting at the end of the table, pulling on his boots. Sabriena had made cordon bleu, salad, and roast potatoes; one of her dad's favorite meals. It had taken longer than she remembered to prepare it and now she was fussing that it was going to get cold while they waited on Goku to come up to the cabin.

She huffed and went to the door again. "GOKUUU!"

Goku finished making sure the chickens were in the coop and the goat was fenced in before he jogged back up to the front of the cabin. He gave her a goofy smile, "I'm here, I'm here. Man! That rooster did NOT want to go to bed tonight! No wonder they like morning so much!" He scratched at his head, "Though, he seems to be confused most of the day, you know, about when morning is actually over. Maybe if I had a talk with him. Or maybe I should send Zip in to have a heart to heart." He shook his head and looked into the cabin, "Are we ready to go? What do you need me to carry?"

He bounced on his feet. He was starving and looking forward to seeing their father-in-law for their weekly visit. He'd promised Goku he'd finish his story that he had been telling him about the Big Fish this week.

Sabriena handed him a large basket covered with pretty tea-towels and handed a second one to Tien. She linked elbows with Tien and grabbed Goku's arm with her other hand. "Ready to go," she smiled. She looked up at Goku out of the corner of her eye, "You're lucky I can't stay mad at you."

He gave her a wink and pressed his fingers to his forehead. The cabin was gone in an instant and they found themselves in the familiar living room. "DAD!" Sabriena called, "We're here!" She glanced around.

"Where is he?" Tien asked.

Sabriena paused, "I hear the TV downstairs. I bet he fell asleep on his couch. You guys set the table while I go get him?" she asked politely and bounced down the stairs calling, "Daddy! I made your favorite!"

Goku smiled after her and went to the kitchen. He set his basket on the counter and went for the plates and silverware. They had been coming there so much, it was almost like a second home to him. He looked over at his husband, "You want to grab the glasses? I seem to keep breaking those the most. I don't want to have to replace his whole set again." He chuckled at the memory. That had not been his night at all. He dipped into his fighting money to pay them back, not wanting to hear it from Sabriena when she had protested. Mr. Schuler had shushed his daughter and told her to let Goku be.

Tien gave a soft snort of laughter and pulled open the cabinet to retrieve the glasses. "I dunno about you, but I'm starving," he said, moving around the bar to the little adjoined dining room and set the glasses on the table. "Smelling her cooking all afternoon; I think she does it on purpose."

Goku laughed, "I know she does it on purpose! It's so we hurry up with our chores and get here faster." He shook his head, "I swear she's fattening us up!" He moved about the table setting out plates and forks. "Ah! There we go!" He went over to the stairs and called down, "Hey you two! Dinner's ready!

"Just a sec!" Sabriena called back up the stairs. She bounced into the large den, smiling at the back of her father's large frame on the couch. The TV was playing and it appeared he'd fallen asleep waiting for them to show up. "Sorry, Daddy," Sabriena said, "we're running late."

Mr. Schuler didn't stir.

"Daddy, come on," Sabriena laughed, stepping around to face him. "I know you're just..." Something was wrong. He seemed too still. There was a bluish hue to his lips. "Daddy?!" she gasped and grabbed his face. His skin was unnaturally cold in her hands. He didn't react, he didn't stir. He wasn't even breathing. "DADDY!?" she screamed at the top of her lungs, the terrifying sound drifting up the stairs to where her husbands were waiting.

Goku and Tien shared a look before they bolted for the stairs and ran down, taking two, three, four steps at a time. "Sabriena?!" Goku called, looking around for an intruder. His senses on high alert as he scanned the den, but he saw no one except Sabriena and her father.

Her father on the couch where she was screaming and crying. A horrible feeling hit him then like a wave and it nearly staggered him. He felt his gut twist up as he went over to the couch where Sabriena was begging her father to wake up, "Mr. Schuler?" He asked as he moved around to wrap his arms around Sabriena. He looked carefully at the man on the couch. He closed his eyes, the ashen hue of his skin, the stillness. He knew death when he saw it, but gods no, not like this. Not him! Tears welled up in his eyes as a million questions flew through his head. How did this happen? Just a short week ago, he had been the life at the house when they had come over.

"Help him," Sabriena begged. "Please! Please!" She saw Goku shaking his head slowly, the tears brimming in his own eyes. "Please?" she asked again pitifully. She began to sob in earnest, pressing her hands to her mouth to stifle the screams coming from her throat. Not her dad. Not him, too. It was her mother all over again. Sudden. Unexpected. Just... gone.

Tien stepped closer, the horror washing over him. He didn't understand it. There were no marks, no wounds. The rest of the house looked as it always did. Whatever had caused this had to be from natural causes. That scared Tien for a moment. Mr. Schuler wasn't much older than Tien himself was. The sounds issuing from his wife tore his heart to shreds. He walked towards her, but he stepped on something round and had to catch himself from falling completely to the floor. An empty bottle of rum rolled away from Tien's boot. He straightened up and walked over to Sabriena, hugging her tightly. "I'm so sorry, baby."

Goku felt terrible, he blinked and felt tears running down his cheeks that left cold trails in their wake. His vision blurred. His stomach churned, "No...no its not fair! How did this happen?" The smell of dinner wafted downstairs and he remembered himself setting the table not moments before.

Tien released Sabriena gently and had to swallow. "Sabriena," he said softly and bent to pick up the empty bottle, "Did your dad have a drinking problem?" His eyes scanned the room. He'd never been downstairs before. In fact, they'd always kept their visits to the main level of the house. There were more bottles sitting on the hearth of the fireplace, all empty. A trashcan at the end of the couch was full of empty bottles as well. He couldn't believe it. He'd seen Mr. Schuler have wine at dinner on occasion, but he never overdid it and always seemed composed. This didn't make sense at all.

Sabriena choked and sniffled violently, "He... He did... l-like to drink..." her knees buckled and she hit the floor, covering her face with her hands. "Daddy, WHY?!"

Goku looked ill as he suddenly started seeing bottles everywhere once Tien drew attention to them. He closed his eyes and looked away. To hear Sabriena cry like that, he never wanted to hear a sound like that coming from those lips, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the scene around them.

Tien tossed the bottle into the trashcan with the others and rubbed at his eyes. His heart was starting to hurt as he thought about spending every Friday night back at their cabin again. He really enjoyed speaking with his father-in-law. The man was well traveled and incredibly smart. And beyond that, he was one of the kindest people Tien had ever met. He sighed heavily. They were never going to go on that fishing trip they'd talked about now. It surprised him to realize how disappointed that made him. His bottom lip trembled as he tried to press his lips together. Tears burned at his eyes. He knelt down next to Sabriena pulling her to his chest as he tried to fight the urge to cry. He was unsuccessful.

Sabriena leaned into Tien, sobbing on his shirt, unable to wrap her mind around what had taken place. She didn't understand. Her dad wasn't that old and had seemed to be in relatively good health. A bit overweight, perhaps. Okay, quite a bit overweight, but otherwise there should've been nothing wrong. Was it really the alcohol that had killed him? A strangled, harsh sob escaped from her throat and Tien held her tighter, the sound gut-wrenching to his ears.

Goku didn't know what to do in this situation. It pained him to hear Sabriena like that and his own heart was aching. He knew that he and Tien had come to respect the man, view him as family as well. He swallowed harshly, "We..." His voice cracked, "We need to do something. Call someone?" He looked to Sabriena and Tien before he moved back over to them so he could lay his head on Tien's shoulder, his hand moving to rub Sabriena's back.

Sabriena drew deep breaths, calming herself. She could feel it coming back, that wall around her heart that she used to have. Her defense mechanism, her way of shutting everyone out so she couldn't get hurt. She drew a deep breath through her nose, wiped her face quickly and got to her feet, a stoic expression on her face. "I'll do it," she said quickly as she turned away from her husbands and marched up the stairs.

Goku looked at Tien, Sabriena's sudden attitude change scared him in a way he never thought possible. He looked back at Mr. Schuler. "Why...why would he do something like this...I thought...things were going so well...Didn't he like us around?"

Tien shook his head, "I don't know, Goku. I don't understand it either. He always seemed happy to me..." Tien frowned at the stairs. "It's her I'm worried about now, though." He'd seen her like that when she first came to train with him. Fear wrapped around his heart at the thought of her becoming like that again. She'd come too far, changed too much to be that woman again. He wouldn't let it happen. He wouldn't lose her to this.

Goku nodded, "Let's not leave her alone up there." He sighed and looked at Mr. Schuler again before he said a silent goodbye in his head before he stepped around the couch and headed for the stairs, mulling over how distant Sabriena had looked just now, "We can't let her lose herself to this..."

Tien nodded and squeezed Goku's shoulder as they walked back up the stairs. "I know," he said, his voice heavy with emotion. "I won't let her."

Sabriena was busy filling their plates with the food they'd brought; she'd cleared away the dishes where Mr. Schuler usually sat. She glanced over her shoulder at them. "No sense letting it go to waste," she said simply and sat down in her chair. "They're sending some EMTs and the coroner out. They'll be here soon."

Goku frowned at her and went over to her. He moved her plate away and knelt down to her side, "Stop, Sabriena." He moved his hand up to cup her face as he searched her eyes for the tears he knew had to be there, "Don't do this. You have us here with you. We're hurting too." He looked over at Tien, this wasn't good. She was closed off.

Sabriena turned back to the table, her face arranged in a slightly pleasant expression as she slid her plate back in front of her. "Come on. Dinner's ready." She cut a bite of her chicken and chewed slowly. It tasted horrible to her, like there was no flavor at all. She knew better, it was perfect of course, but with the way she felt. And now Goku and Tien were in tears. If she had been calmer about it, maybe they wouldn't be hurting so bad at the moment. She felt like she could explode. Anger. Sadness. Disbelief. It was all crashing through her system, ripping her apart from the inside out, and all she could do was stare at Goku's chair across from her and chew on that flavorless chicken.

Tien crossed his arms and walked around the table to stare out the glass door to the little fenced in yard. He sighed and leaned against the doorframe, trying to make sense of it all. The way she was acting was exactly like she used to be. He felt his throat go tight at the thought.

"Tien, SIT," Sabriena insisted as she popped another bite into her mouth.

"Not hungry," he muttered.

Goku didn't know what to do. He'd never seen Sabriena quite like this before, but he was hurting from her father's death and if he was hurting this bad, the pain for her had to be incredible, "Sabriena," He pleaded, he had to see some emotion from her, "You don't just lose a person like that and act like this." He reached out and covered her mating mark, "Please stop eating..."

He felt his gut twist as her dull eyes looked at him. He had never seen those eyes not sparkle before. It was like a knife twisting in his heart. He stood and picked up her half eaten plate and the others and moved them away to the sink, putting them in it with a loud clatter before he looked out the window. His heart was breaking.

She scowled at him as he took the plate away. "Fine," she said as she wiped her mouth with a napkin and tossed it carelessly back on the table. "You don't want to eat my cooking. Fine." She mentally slapped herself. She knew better than to be so hateful to either of them. But she wasn't going to cry in front of them and make them hurt anymore. The way Goku had touched the mark on her neck made her want to throw herself into his arms and cry until she passed out. But with this mask up, these walls, she had simply stared flatly at him until he cleared the table. She suppressed a shiver. It was all too easy to step back into this mindset, this way of acting.

Tien couldn't stand to look at her. He hated the cold, practical tone of her voice, the way she sat there so emotionless. He was sick of his lovers hurting all the time and he felt useless, like he couldn't protect them from any of it.

There was a knock at the door and Sabriena walked over to answer. She told the EMTs where her father was and stood at the top of the stairs, waiting for them to return.

Goku looked miserably over at Tien, wordlessly saying they were going to have to do something. Tien was as disturbed as he was about this change in their wife.

After the EMTs left, after they took Mr. Schuler away, they would have to sit her down. Get her to open back up to them. This hurt. It all hurt way too much. Goku wanted to punch the wall in frustration. Why? WHY could there never be a MOMENT of peace? Why did everything happen at once?!

They all stood in silence for several minutes, each lost in their own thoughts - Goku at the sink, Tien by the door, Sabriena at the stairwell. Sabriena watched uninterestedly as the EMTs struggled back up the stairs, carrying the gurney that held Mr. Schuler's body.

"Would you like an autopsy done or would you prefer to have his body taken to a funeral home?" one of the EMTs asked Sabriena quietly.

"Funeral home," she answered. "I know what killed him. He crawled in that bottle over ten years ago and never came out." Her lips were pressed to a thin line as she stared at the sheet covering her father. She never thought it would kill him. Her head was starting to split from the building headache.

"Which funeral home?"

"Cater's," she answered.

The EMT nodded. "We'll notify them and you can contact them in the morning."

She gave a jerky nod and watched them wheel the gurney outside and shut the door behind them. She took a deep breath and turned to look at Tien and Goku. "Well, that's that," she said and marched up the stairs to the second floor of the house.

Goku looked over at Tien and nodded numbly and turned to follow their wife upstairs. His legs felt like lead. He'd never lost someone like this before. They had lost Krillin after the battle, but this was different. There was no one to be furious with. It had just happened. When had it happened, he wondered. His heart ached to think that Mr. Schuler had been alive that morning. Or had he died last night? He looked around when they reached the top of the stairs, where had Sabriena gone?

Tien looked around too. There was an open room to the right; it was full of what he guessed were Sabriena's belongings from when she was a child. Toy horses and dolls, frilly pink curtains, art supplies, all of it rather haphazard as if one day she'd just decided to stop playing and left it. He walked down the short hall. There were two doors on either side, both of them closed. He could feel her energy in the one to the right and cautiously opened the door. "Sabriena?"

She stood in the middle of her old bedroom, her arms crossed, staring at the floor. She didn't acknowledge them when they entered; she just continued to stare at the carpet, chewing her lip.

Goku stepped through the door after Tien. This room smelled like Sabriena. It should have felt welcoming, comforting., but no. Not with Sabriena hurting like this.

He turned and closed the door behind him, leaning against it as he watched Tien go over to her. He let himself sink to the carpeted floor, he felt utterly useless. He didn't know how to help her other than to just be there for her. Was this part of the normal life he had wished for? It was one of those bad parts of life no one wanted to deal with, but here it was.

"Baby," Tien said, placing his hand on her shoulder. She shoved it away. A knot formed in his throat and fresh tears welled up in his eyes. She'd never retracted from him like that before. "Don't," he whispered, his voice shaking, "please don't pull away from me."

"It's all my fault," she whispered numbly.

Tien blinked in surprise at her. "What?" he asked, disbelief dripping from his quiet voice.

"This is all my fault!" she shouted, rounding on him.

Goku nearly sobbed in relief. She was angry and he didn't know why, but it was emotion, "Sabriena, it's not your fault. How can you say that? What else could we have done?"

"How can it not be my fault?!" she screeched at Goku. The tears were welling in her eyes again. She just couldn't hold that wall like she used to. She'd managed long enough to deal with the EMTs, but now it was hopeless. "He drank all the time because he was lonely! It's my fault! I... I chased off every woman he ever brought home. He tried to date after my mom died." She shook her head at the bitter memories, tears starting to stream down her face. "He stopped trying. And started drinking."

Goku narrowed his eyes at her and stood up, going over to stand next to Tien, "That's not true and you know it. You can't take the blame for something he was doing to himself. You've only ever looked out for his best interests!"

She shook her head. "If I hadn't been so... selfish," the last word came out a hiss. "My dad would do anything I asked. I begged him not to replace my mom. If I hadn't done that..." She trailed off, furious with herself. Maybe he wouldn't have been so lonely, maybe he wouldn't have drank himself to death. She wanted to scream or punch something, she wanted to change this.

Tien closed his eyes slowly. Gods, he didn't know how to handle this. "Of course you didn't want your mom to be replaced, Sabriena," he said, opening his eyes again. "That's understandable..."

"I didn't give a damn about that!" she shouted, tears flowing beyond her control, "I only said that to get my way! All I was concerned about was making sure some gold-digging bitch didn't interfere with my inheritance!" She grabbed at her hair and screamed. She remembered a conversation she'd had with her friends in high-school. She'd sat back, scoffing, "Ain't no bitch gonna take my dad's money," she'd said, "that's MY money." She felt now like she could puke that those words had ever come from her mouth. She'd ensured her dad led an empty, lonely life because she'd only been worried about money. "I HATE MYSELF!" she screamed and spun on her heel, swiping the trinkets and papers from her desk with one spinning kick.

Goku caught her in his arms, "Sabriena, you are not that person any more. If your dad had found someone he truly wanted to be with. If he had found someone to love in place of your mother, he would have. You know better than anyone that when a love comes around, it's impossible to stop it if it was meant to be. You can't say that you're the reason your father died. If he wanted to love again, he would have loved." He paused as he tried to remember what Lindsey's grandmother had told him, "Your mother was your dad's greatest love in his life. There was no one he could have found after her and been happy. Does that make sense?"

Tien crouched down in front of Sabriena as she leaned heavily in Goku's arms, sobbing. "Goku's right," he said in his low tone, "This isn't your fault."

She shook her head violently. "I'm a horrible person," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry. You guys deserve so much better." She cried harder, practically hanging from Goku's arms as Tien tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, watching her sadly.

Goku felt his heart breaking at her words, she sounded so lost. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the side of her forehead, "Don't ever say that again. You and Tien are the best thing that has ever happened for me. Don't you dare say that I deserve better. I don't want better. I want you. I want him." He hugged her tightly, "Cry, baby. Let it out. It's okay. We've got you. Don't apologize to us. Never to us."

She shook her head again, wanting nothing more than for them to go back to the cabin and leave her here to wallow in bitter tears and memories. This was too weird, them being in her old room. It was like a melding of her old life with her new one. She didn't want them to see it, to see how vain and materialistic she had been. They'd seen enough of it from her before; she didn't need it reinforced. "Just go," she sobbed softly. "Leave me alone."

Tien looked fierce at those words. "I am not leaving you," he stated firmly, "and neither is Goku." He would never leave her side, especially not when she was hurting like this.

Goku nodded as he reached out and clasped Tien's hand in his own before moving to hold her hand as well, "Sabriena." He thought back to what she said about the inheritance from her father she didn't want anyone to have. He couldn't see that person, "You've changed. You aren't that person anymore. That person wouldn't be here with us at that moment. She certainly wouldn't have been here crying over her father, blaming herself. If you think Tien and I are going to see something different by knowing what you did in the past, then you're wrong. Your father loves you, we love you. That's not going to change." He felt like he was rambling and he hushed up, pressing his lips together, "You are not alone, you don't have to do this. You don't have to put up these walls. Tien and I, we are your walls. We love you so much."

Her words were barely audible. "I love you, too." She sank down into Tien's lap and doubled over, crying into her hands. His words comforted her a little, but it only made her cry harder. This had to be some sort of nightmare.

Tien reached for Goku and pulled him to sit down, their knees touching as they faced each other. Tien rubbed Sabriena's back as she leaned over Goku's lap, her entire body shaking with sobs, her breathing ragged as she gasped for air. "Shh," he soothed. "Try to breathe, honey. Don't make yourself sick."

Goku felt her pain and wished he could take it away for her. He felt his own pain at her father's passing as well. The universe had lost a great light with his death.

Tien leaned across her back, holding onto her with one arm, his other hand on the back of Goku's neck. He couldn't stand the sadness, the sound of his lovers crying. Sabriena's heart-wrenching sobs, the quiet gasps from Goku. Where was their happiness? And not to mention the mess with Goten right now. He was tired of it all. There had to be something he could do. He just couldn't figure out what. If only he could just figure out a way to protect them from this pain. They held Sabriena until she gave in to the emotional exhaustion and passed out in their laps.

Tien gently pushed against Goku's shoulder to sit him up, then gathered Sabriena in his arms and laid her carefully on her old bed, tucking a pillow under her head. "What should we do, Goku? I don't know how to fix this. I don't know what to do. Of all people, why him?"

Goku shook his head as he moved to sit next to Sabriena on the other side of the bed. He looked sadly down at her before he brushed the tears from her face with his thumb, "I don't know, Tien." He sighed, "I would say bring him back with the dragon balls, but who's to say this wouldn't happen again? If he died of natural causes, he would only do it again. We can't wish him back and heal his body. I don't want to see her go through his death a second time. We would lose her then." He looked up at Tien, his eyes bright with tears, "I don't think I could stand it either." He looked back down at their wife, "I think the best that we can do is just be here for her through this."

"People can't be wished back if they die of natural causes anyway," Tien muttered. He remembered Dende saying something about that at one point. He sighed and moved away from the bed, looking around the room, hoping for a distraction or just something to focus on to ease his mind if only for a moment.

Tien moved towards the dresser, looking at the framed pictures. Most of them were of Sabriena and her dad. Pictures of them in London, another in front of a ski resort in winter gear, posing with a costumed character in front of Disneyland, on Bourbon street at Mardi Gras. "They did everything together," Tien said, picking up the Mardi Gras picture. He couldn't help but smile at the silly grin on his wife's face, her neck heavy with brightly colored strings of beads, a feathered mask over her eyes. "I don't remember my parents much." He showed the picture to Goku.

He reached out and took the frame as he smiled at the picture, "Yeah. I don't remember my mother or father at all. Tora's been helping me reclaim that part of my history," Goku shook his head and handed the picture back to Tien, "I've been living through her. Her father was the closest thing I've ever had." He sighed. He didn't want to leave them, "You think I should go back to tell Lindsey and Jenny what happened? Didn't they know him? Maybe they could help her too."

Tien thought about it for a moment. He really didn't want Goku to leave. "Yeah, maybe you should. They grew up together, they might be able to say the right thing to make her feel better, help her in a way we can't. Just make it quick, okay?" he asked, his voice sounding far more vulnerable than he would have liked it.

Goku turned and looked back down at Sabriena as he brushed her hair behind her ear, "I'll be back before she wakes up." He stood reluctantly and bent over to place a kiss to her forehead before he straightened and looked over at Tien. So much had changed over the year for them both. He found it funny in a way, that he couldn't see his life without the other man in it every step of the way. It was almost natural to walk over and put his hands on the other man's shoulders before he gave them a squeeze, "Keep a close eye on her."

"Always," Tien answered and pulled Goku into a tight hug. "I won't leave her side." He wanted to break down in tears again. Something about the strong crush of Goku's hug did that to a person. It was a safe place, wrapped in those arms, and Tien had to fight very hard to keep the tears from his eyes again. "Hurry back to us," he said softly and kissed his mate before he released Goku.

Goku nodded and with one last look around the room at them, he pressed his fingers to his forehead and vanished.

* * *

News spread quickly of Mr. Schuler's death, not only through their friends and family, but throughout the small town where Sabriena grew up. She never expected such a turnout for the visitation and even though it was nice that so many people came to pay their respects, she found herself gritting her teeth throughout the whole thing, just wishing for it to end. Tien and Goku stood with her near the urn that held her father's ashes; it had been his wish to be cremated. She was appreciative, though, that her friends came to comfort her. Even Piccolo and Vegeta showed up and while she still didn't exactly get along with them, it meant a great deal to her that they came.

The service was blissfully short and she forced herself to attend the dinner afterwards, although she didn't really feel like eating. She finally breathed a sigh of relief when it was all over and the last guests left. She gathered up the urn, frowning slightly at it as her lip trembled and she picked up the small photo album of all the memorable trips she and her father had gone on over the years. "Well," she said, turning to her husbands. "Let's go."

She flipped open the album to the first picture, showing it to Goku so he could get a good mental image in his mind before she grabbed onto his arm and Tien placed a hand on his shoulder. They vanished from the spot and reappeared exactly where the photo showed.

They spent the rest of the day quickly visiting each place, taking turns scattering Mr. Schuler's ashes every time they stopped. When the urn was finally empty, Sabriena turned to her husbands and pulled each of them in for a tight hug. "Thank you," she whispered. "I couldn't have made it through today without you both."

Goku smiled down at her and hugged her close, "We will see your father again. Some day. I'm sure, after all the places we've been today, your father would want you to live a full and happy life. Traveling as he did and embracing every moment." He kissed her cheek.

"And we'll always be by your side," Tien promised, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Come on. Let's go home."


	4. Senzu Beans

Sabriena was still a little mopey, not quite herself over the next couple of days as she struggled to accept that both of her parents were now gone. She sat on the steps to the cabin, ignoring Dog as he nudged at her hand and Gohan landed in the yard in front of the cabin.

Goten grinned and ran straight to Sabriena, but paused when he saw the expression on her face. "Why are you sad?" he asked bluntly, tipping his head to the side.

Sabriena frowned slightly, her lip trembling again. "My daddy died," she answered in a soft voice. There was no point in hiding the truth from him. Child or not, he didn't need to be lied to and it was just the other day when he told her he understood about death. She wiped at her eyes with the heel of her hand and drew a sharp breath through her nose to stop it from running.

Goten wordlessly crawled into her lap and hugged her neck. He didn't like seeing her sad. It broke his little heart and he thought he might cry for her. No, he would be strong for her. He screwed up his little face, refusing to cry. But when she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him back, tears slipped from his eyes anyway. Not from sadness, but from the warm comfort he so rarely got from anyone besides his father.

She turned him around after a moment and rested her chin on his head, watching Goku and Gohan talking in the yard with Tien. "Goten, I know you're little, but I wanna tell you something. You know, our parents don't stay with us forever. They all die at some point. That's why it's very, VERY important to spend as much time with your daddy as possible," she said in his ear. "Your daddy is the very best daddy in the world. And he loves you more than anything in this world. So you be good and tell him you love him, okay?"

Goten snuggled back into her arms, his little hands grabbed at them so he could wrap them around himself. He leaned back and looked up at her with his eyes big. "I'll be good. I tell Daddy every time I see him." A little blush grew across his cheeks and he fumbled for his next words, "And… um, Sabriena? I love you, too. So you don't have to be sad. I'll love you just as much as your daddy did, so you don't have to be sad."

Sabriena exhaled a shuddering breath and buried her face in Goten's unruly hair, squeezing him tightly. She couldn't help the tears that slid from her eyes. "I wish you were mine," she whispered.

Goten wiggled in her grasp and turned around again so he could put his hand on her shoulders and a small hand on her cheek, looking at her face, her eyes full of tears. "You… you want to be my momma too?" His eyes were big, innocent. There was a hope there behind them and he blushed, "I mean… you know… You don't have to be. You are a pretty awesome friend." He leaned forward and hugged her tightly, burying his face into her neck.

She hugged him tightly, wiping the tears from her face. What in the world had gotten into her? She never wanted to be a mother, but somehow this little person had wormed his way right into her heart and there was no denying it. She caught the men in the yard staring at her and she sat up straight suddenly, pushing Goten back a bit to look at him. She stared into his dark eyes that were exactly like his father's. "I'm hungry. You wanna help me make everyone some lunch?"

Goten's eyes lit up and a wide grin spread across his face, his question forgotten to him, "YEAH! Think we can make pancakes?! Bulma makes them for me whenever I go over to visit Trunks and we aren't feeling so great. They make everything better! Can you flip a pancake?! Can you teach me?" He took her hand and eagerly led her inside.

"What was that all about?" Gohan asked, his eyes wide as he watched his brother drag Sabriena inside the cabin. He'd never seen Sabriena affectionate before, especially not with a kid. His mind was blown. "She really did change, didn't she?"

Goku looked after them and smiled, "I think they bonded over food. Last time he was here, she really got him into the spirit of cooking. You should see that woman toss pizza dough. She and Goten really have something going there! " He looked back at Gohan, he was relieved. Maybe Goten coming over was good for Sabriena. He'd actually gotten her off of the porch and up and moving with a spark in her eyes. "Thanks for bringing him Gohan. Really. Did… did you find anything out yet?"

Gohan shook his head. "I'm sorry, Dad. With her dad's funeral and all that, I haven't had a chance to talk to him yet. But I've still got him for three more days. I'll find out for sure. I helped him get dressed for bed the other night, though, and I didn't see any marks or anything. So that's a good sign, right?"

Goku looked back towards the house sadly. "Physical marks heal, Gohan. It's an easy thing to do if you have an extra senzu bean laying around the house." It hurt him to think that Chichi, if she had been doing this, she had been using precious senzu beans to do it. One senzu bean could have made all the difference with Krillin's life, but they had none that day to take with them into battle.

"It's the emotional marks I'm worried about." He shook his head, "I hope we were wrong. Even after all she's done, she's still your mother and Goten's mother. I really did love her all those twenty years. It hurts me to think that she would do such a thing to you or Goten." He ducked his head, "Or that I was too stupid not to notice it."

Gohan shook his head sadly. "I don't know what to think of her anymore," he said quietly. "She's just so controlling. I don't get it. I mean, she's always been that way, but it's getting worse. That much I do know."

Tien cocked an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Gohan sighed, "She keeps coming by the house, telling us how we're doing everything wrong as parents. She thinks we've always got Phoenix dressed too hot or too cold. Lindsey's feeding him too much or not enough. He should've been bottle fed because breastfeeding him is 'inappropriate'." Gohan squeezed his face with his hand. "You should've heard the argument over that one. Lindsey and Mom were nose-to-nose screaming facts at each other. It was a nightmare."

Goku's face turned a slight shade of red. Now was NOT the time to remember that amazing night when he and Tien had been suckling from Sabriena. He shook his head, "Inappropriate? Isn't that what mommies are supposed to do?" He pinched the bridge of his nose, "I'm sorry Gohan. I guess without me around, your mother doesn't have anyone else to take her frustrations out on."

"She shouldn't have taken them out on you either," Tien said crossly.

Gohan looked curiously at Tien before lowering his eyes to the ground. There had been so much talk about how his mother had mistreated his father, but no one specifically said how. He knew she yelled and screamed at him all the time, threatened to leave him for years because of his training. He didn't know and he wasn't sure he wanted to know what else she had done. When he was younger, he thought that was a normal way to live. Now though, he saw how wrong his mother was. "You guys don't think maybe there's something wrong with Mom, do you? You know, like, mentally? I don't want to think that about her, but I can't help wondering if it's something she needs to see a doctor about. Maybe some medication would help her or something."

Goku tapped a finger against his lips as he thought. "I don't know. You're mother's always been a little violent." He swallowed, he didn't want to tell his son she had tricked him into a marriage. He loved his sons and he never wanted to go back and do it again without them. They were never a mistake.

He briefly wondered what a child between himself and Sabriena would look like and had to hold back the snort of laughter that the image he came up with was a super Saiyan. Her blonde hair, it made him kind of giddy to think that. "I don't think so. She's just got a different way of thinking, of how she was brought up."

Gohan's heart dropped. "Yeah, you're probably right." It would have been easier on his heart to think that his mother was sick, because sicknesses can be cured. To think that she was the way she was just because it suited her, hurt far worse. Sick you can fix. Evil, not so much. "I thought about talking to Grandpa about her, but," Gohan stopped and groaned, "I don't want to stress him out. He's gettin' up there in years, ya know? I can't do that to him."

"I think you should keep this as private as possible," Tien said. "If it turns out Goten's not safe staying with Chichi, then we can turn to others for help. I wouldn't say anything to anyone else just yet."

Goku nodded. If they were just being paranoid, it wouldn't do well to draw attention to Chichi, calling her a bad mother before it was proven. His stomach twisted. She would never let him see Goten again for sure if that happened. "Yeah, it's almost as bad as the lies she tried to spread about me after the divorce. Though maybe your grandfather knows something we don't. Maybe not outright ask him, but ask how mother was when she was younger or something." He shook his head, "I honestly don't know. I wish we didn't have to deal with everything at once." He looked back at the cabin where he could hear Goten talking excitedly to Sabriena, pots and pans clinking together, "Would it be alright if you two stayed for a bit longer? I think it's good for Sabriena that Goten stays. Even if she won't admit it."

"Lindsey took Phoenix and went to Jenny's. They said something about going shopping with Catie and Leelee. So, yeah, I've pretty much got the whole afternoon free," he laughed. "We can stay, on one condition."

Goku smiled and looked at him, happy they were staying, "Sure. Whatever you want. Just name it."

"I get to eat Sabriena's cooking. Goten swears it's the best."

Goku threw his head back and laughed, "How did I know that one was coming? Of course you can! I swear, I don't know how I lived without it! Tien tried to keep it a secret from all of us, I'm sure." He looked suspiciously over at his husband for a moment before winking at him, "Come on. Let's go see what they're making and if they need us to fetch any ingredients."

Goku had a sudden idea for Sabriena that night, he had seen the herb garden she had planted, the lavender was coming up and he wondered if there was a way to scent the hot tub water with it. Didn't girls put lavender in bath oils or something?

They headed for the cabin as they joked about eating poor Tien out of house and home, when a sudden shattering of glass from inside the cabin made them pause. "I'M SORRY!" Goten cried.

Goku's eyes went wide and he quickly opened the door to the cabin and easily spotted the broken glass on the ground, "Are you two alright? What happened?" He saw his son cowering against the wall, tears in his eyes. His hand up as if to protect himself.

"I'm sorry! It was an accident!" Goten bawled.

Sabriena was on her knees, picking up the shards of a broken mixing bowl, the pancake mix oozing across the floor. "Goten, it's fine," she said in a calming voice.

Tien bent down beside Sabriena to help her pick up the shards. He grabbed a couple towels to wipe up the batter before Dog tried to get to it. "You guys okay? You didn't get cut, did you?"

Sabriena shook her head. "We're fine. Just a little accident."

"Y-You're not g-gonna get the switch, are you?" Goten sobbed, scrubbing at his fearful eyes with his fists.

Goku's eyes narrowed at that and he went over to his son and knelt down in front of him, "Goten, why would you think she would get the switch? She's not going to hurt you. It was an accident. Has..." He stopped himself. He couldn't bring himself to say it. He just knew he didn't want to hear those words out of his son's mouth ever again.

Gohan knelt beside his father. "Let me talk to him," he said softly. "C'mon buddy," he said, picking his brother up and carrying him outside.

Big tears slid down Goten's cheeks as he laid his head on Gohan's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Gohan," he whimpered. "I didn't mean to."

"I know you didn't," Gohan said as he walked down to the river. "And everyone else knows you didn't. They're not mad at you." He sat Goten down in the shade of a big tree and sat in front of him. "Goten," he said in a soft voice, "Why on earth would you think Sabriena would use a switch on you?"

Goten looked at the ground and fiddled with some of the small, smooth rocks.

"Goten?" Gohan pressed.

"I'm not s'posed to say," Goten answered quietly.

A cold rage settled into Gohan's stomach. "You can tell me," Gohan said.

Goten's bottom lip trembled and he shook his head as more tears poured from his eyes.

"Goten, please, I can help you. I can make it better if you just tell me," Gohan pleaded softly. "Does... Does mom spank you with a switch?"

"Only when I've been bad," Goten whispered. He looked up at Gohan, his black eyes begging for understanding,."I try to be good! I don't mean to break things! I just can't control how strong I am. I break glasses when I try to pick them up sometimes. It makes Momma real mad. She calls me a monster."

"She what?!" Gohan gasped in horror.

* * *

Goku paced back and forth in the cabin and drug his fingers through his hair. He wanted so much to go down to the river and hear what Goten had to say, but he didn't want to make him clam up again. His mind kept playing over and over the way Goten had flinched. The pain in his voice as he begged not to be switched. It made his blood boil.

Sabriena cleaned up the last of the mess before getting out a new bowl, metal this time, and began to mix a fresh batch of batter. "It's my fault," she muttered. "I should've known better than to use glass. I wasn't thinking."

Tien shook his head. "This is bad." He couldn't believe the reaction from Goten. A worry settled into his chest that Goten hadn't been putting on a show for Sabriena the other day. That was real fear in his eyes, in his voice.

* * *

Gohan still sat down at the river, talking to his younger brother. "Where does she hit you, Goten? I don't see any marks or anything," he said, looking at him carefully.

"All over," Goten answered. "She makes the marks go away if we leave the house, though. She makes me eat beans. They taste awful."

Senzu beans.

Gohan closed his eyes and groaned. His dad had hit that one on the mark. "I'm so sorry, Little Man." He grabbed Goten up and hugged him tightly.

"Did Momma spank you when you were little?" Goten asked.

"Well yeah," Gohan answered, "but not like that. When did this start? After you guys moved away?"

Goten shook his head. "Momma's always spanked me like that. Daddy was out training, you were at school. Momma was mad you all weren't at home." He went quiet for a minute. "Why doesn't Momma love me, Gohan?"

Gohan's heart broke. He hugged his little brother, "She does love you. She just..." He didn't know what to say. He could feel his father's energy rising up at the cabin. "Listen, you sit here for a minute, okay? Don't go anywhere," he instructed, sitting Goten down on the riverbank as he stood up.

"Am I in trouble?" Goten asked.

"No," Gohan said firmly. "You're not." He glanced around and spotted the fishing poles leaned up against a tree. "Here, you sit here and fish for a minute. I gotta talk to the grown-ups real quick, okay?"

Goten's eyes lit up as he grabbed the pole. "I'll catch a big one, Gohan!"

* * *

The more Goku paced, the angrier he got. He was trying to run through a list of calming techniques Tien had tried to teach him for when the full moon came around, but it wasn't working. He couldn't believe this. Goten shouldn't have this problem in the first place. Mothers were meant to protect their children.

Now, when Sabriena needed him the most, so did Goten. He felt like a terrible father, he should have been around the house more. Maybe he would have seen something. He spotted Gohan coming back up to the house, the expression on his face was grim, and Goku's heart fell.

Sabriena saw Gohan walking up to the cabin as well and saw the worried expression on her husband's face. She rushed over to him, "Goku, whatever happens, we'll fix it," she said frantically. "Okay, baby? I'll make it better somehow. We'll fix it."

Tien grabbed her by her elbows, gently pulling her away from Goku, "Shh. Wait to see what Gohan has to say first." She let Tien pull her back over to the table and began mixing her batter again, her eyes flicking up at the door expectantly. Gohan was sure taking his sweet time coming in the house. She mixed faster, trying to work off some of her nervous energy.

Finally the door opened and Gohan stepped inside. He pulled his glasses off and rubbed at the bridge of his nose before he looked around. A lump formed in his throat as he looked at his father and he gently dropped his glasses on the table.

Goku felt his stomach fall and he looked down at the grain on the wood table a second, trying to put his thoughts together before looking back up at his son. He swallowed hard, "Wh… What did Goten say?" He couldn't ask if it was true. He didn't want to believe that it was true, but somewhere deep down, he knew it was. He could see it in his son's eyes. His voice broke when he spoke, "Please, don't tell me its true."

Gohan sat down at the table, resting his elbows on it and covered his face with his hands. He hated everything about his mother at that moment. Tears burned his eyes as he gathered the courage to tell his dad the truth. He drew a deep breath and lowered his hands to look at his father. "It's worse than we thought," he answered.

The words hit Goku like a punch to the gut. "Worse?" he breathed out, "How can it be worse? She's beating him? Why… WHY would she do that to him?!" He pressed his hands to his face feeling his own tears welling up. "Is it because he looks like me? I should have paid more attention. I really am an idiot. I could have stopped this. I could have done something!"

"This has been going on for a long time. She's been doing this since before I ever even moved out, Dad," Gohan said, his voice dull. "We both should've seen it. Why do you think she always dresses him in long sleeves? Hell, half the time he was in bed before you or I got home!" He raked a hand through his hair. "Oh! Yeah, and you were right about the senzu beans. Goten says she gives him one if they're going to leave the house. He's not supposed to talk about it though."

Goku leaned on the table heavily, each word cut him more deeply than the last. "What do I do?" he asked."I can't let him go back there knowing this!"

"How's she getting the senzu beans?!" Tien demanded. "Those take so long to grow. Corin is the only one who has them. They're supposed to be for battle, not so she can cover up what she's doing!" Tien looked livid and Sabriena actually scooted away from him.

Gohan sat for a minute, realization dawning on his face. "Yajirobe has access to them. I bet she sweet-talked him into it somehow." The thought made his skin crawl.

Sabriena rounded the table to Goku, placing a hand gently on his shoulder. "We'll figure something out. Gohan said he had three more days. We can figure something out by then, right Gohan?"

Gohan licked his lips and shook his head slowly, "We're gonna have to. I just don't know what. We can't let him go back to her."

Goku nodded, covering Sabriena's hand with his own, "Where's Goten? Still by the river?" Goku sighed, thinking through what they could do. "Maybe Bulma can help us come up with something..." He pressed his lips thin. "He can't go back to Chichi. What would she do to him?! What more is she going to do to him?"

"He said she calls him a monster," Gohan said. "She hits him when he breaks things, even if it was an accident. Or if he does his homework wrong. Dad, we've got to talk to Bulma. I'll keep Goten as long as I can, but there's only so much I can do. If Mom gets the law involved, my hands will be tied. We have to do something quick."

Goku's eyes snapped up at the word that came out of Gohan's mouth, his blood turned to ice, "What?" He stood up so quickly he knocked his chair over. His look was murderous and his voice was low, "What does she call him?!" He was so close to going over there right now and demanding answers, but that would only make things worse for Goten and Gohan. His sons had been through enough.

Sabriena gasped at Goku's outrage, but quickly composed herself and grabbed his face in her hands. "Baby," she said in a calming tone, "Shh. Breathe." Goku's eyes were fierce as he looked at her. "Go talk to Bulma. Take Gohan and Tien with you. I'll keep Goten here with me. This place is protected, there's nothing that can harm us here. We'll be safe until you all get back."

Goku let himself calm. Sabriena's voice, her eyes and her touch, he felt anger subsiding at her wish and he nodded. Looking deep into her eyes, his own flickering to the mating mark on her neck. They were all hurting it seemed. He was ready for a break. He just wanted everything to be perfect for once. Just once. "Take care of him for me. We'll be back as soon as we can."

* * *

Bulma jumped with a little scream as the three men appeared in her lab. "Jesus, Goku!" She gasped for air dramatically for a minute. "If you're looking for Vegeta, you just missed him." She was looking down at a computer screen as she spoke, clicking away at her keyboard.

The door behind them slid open and Trunks walked in. "Hey, man!" he grinned, throwing an arm around Gohan's shoulders. "Haven't seen you in a while. What have you been up to?"

Gohan sighed, "Dealing with my mother."

Trunks pulled a face and leaned over a bit to look at Goku, "She still giving you a hard time, Goku?"

Goku shook his head and he swallowed hard. "Bulma, I need your help. Please. It's Goten. Chichi… she's been..." he pressed his lips together, as if not saying it was going to make everything better. He pressed a hand to his face, subconsciously leaning back until his arm touched Tien's, "She's been abusing him… my son..." He closed his eyes against the cold fury that surged through him, the utter helplessness laying underneath it all. "She's been beating him. Calling him names and all for nothing."

"WHAT?!" Bulma and Trunks shrieked at the same time. Bulma spun around, her blue eyes wide with horror. "You... You're sure?" she breathed.

Gohan gave a nod.

"Oh my god," Trunks groaned, pressing the heel of his hand to his forehead. "The shit just never ends with her, does it?"

"Okay," Bulma said, "Okay, okay, okay, lemme think." She grabbed her coffee and took a shaking drink.

Goku felt exhausted, it was too much emotional stress for him right now. It felt like they had just dealt with the mess, rescuing Sabriena, saying goodbye to Chichi as he started his new life and then to top it all off, Sabriena's father's death. Adding to the cherry on top, Chichi was hurting Goten in the worst way possible. The only ease to his heart was that he knew Goten was safe in the woods with Sabriena. Part of him was half tempted just to keep him there. No one could harm him, the police would never be able to find the house to take him away. But then, what kind of life would Goten have?

Bulma downed her coffee and poured herself another cup, nearly swallowing it all down, too. "Easy, mom," Trunks scolded. "You're wound up enough as it is."

"You hush," she said. "We're going to have to call Child Protective Services."

"What?" Gohan gasped, "Why do we have to do that? Can't we just, you know, go back to court and get custody switched? Just let Dad have him!"

Bulma shook her head, "If it came out in court that your dad knew about this, and DIDN'T report it, they'd view that as neglect. Then they both could lose custody." She shuddered at the thought.

Goku winced at the thought as well. "But I just now found out about it." He sighed heavily; he didn't want to lose Goten and Bulma knew more about the legal system than he did anyway. She hadn't steered him wrong yet. "Tell me what I have to do. I can't stand to see my son like that again. I can't stand to see him cringe every time he makes a mistake."

Tien couldn't stop the thought that flashed through his mind and he spoke it aloud, "Just like you." He shook his head angrily. He'd had enough of that woman and the affect she had on the people around her. "Goten can live with us. Just don't give him back, Goku. It's as simple as that."

"It doesn't work like that, Tien," Bulma argued. "We have to go through the right process. Do it legally. If you guys just refuse to give him back, she could press kidnapping charges and all sorts of things!"

Tien scoffed. "As if they could keep any of us in a prison cell. And let them try to set foot on my land. Between me, Goku and Sabriena? HA! Not to mention the protective spells the girls put up. No one could touch that kid."

"Yeah, and then you'd all be outlaws," Bulma retorted, her hands on her hips. "Yes, that sounds like an excellent plan. That would be just peachy for Goten."

Goku was half tempted to agree with Tien on that one, the same thought having passed through his own mind. "No, I don't want Goten to have to go through that. It would be like he was trapped there with us. Never being able to get out and enjoy the world, go to college if he wanted to, training and participating in the tournaments." He swallowed harshly, "Why can't things just..."

He stopped himself. No, he couldn't say that. He definitely did NOT want things to go back to the way they were. "We need to make things right. Chichi isn't going to touch him again. I don't care what it takes. I just dont want to see Goten suffer any more. And I don't want her harassing you or Lindsey, Gohan. Or Phoenix. She's done enough."

"So was there a mark on him or something?" Bulma asked.

"No," Gohan answered.

Bulma sucked air through her teeth. "Dammit."

"What? You say that like it's a bad thing that my brother isn't bruised!" Gohan snapped.

"They're not going to do anything if there's no evidence, Gohan," Bulma said slowly, leaning towards him for emphasis as she spoke. "We can call them all day and night. If they can't see anything wrong, they're going to walk away."

Goku looked miserably at the ground, "She's been using senzu beans to cover up the truth, Bulma. He eats one and its like its never happened. " He felt sick. A terrible thought crossed his mind that they could put a mark on him, but he'd sooner die than harm his son. "I wish there was a way to see what has been done to him, but I'm not sure I could stomach the sight."

"Couldn't stomach something?" Lindsey asked in a teasing voice as she and Catie walked in, setting their shopping bags on a table. "C'mon, Dad, with your appetite, you can stomach anything." She grinned brightly, but her smile fell at the look on his face. "Oh gods, what's happened now?" she asked as she set the little carseat holding Phoenix on the floor.

Goku shook his head, "Not this." He looked over at his grandson, his eyes widened as he realized Chichi had babysat Phoenix before. He looked up at his daughter, "It's Goten. He just told Gohan this morning that Chichi's been beating him, calling him a monster. It's been going on for years. There's not a mark on him though." He threaded his hands through his hair, "I don't know what to do. I'm not giving Goten back this time! He isn't going back there until we make this right."

"She's covering up the marks by using senzu beans," Gohan explained further. "With no marks on him, we can't prove anything."

Lindsey chewed her lip for a moment, not knowing what to think. She knew that Gohan had brought Goten to the house to talk to him about this, but she didn't think they were going to talk about it today. "That bitch," she muttered under her breath. She slicked her hair out of her face, looking at Goku again. "The only person I can think of who might have an answer would be Gramma."

Goku blinked over at Lindsey, tears unshed in his eyes. "You think she can really help us here? No one hardly understands how the senzu beans work, what if they can't be affected by magick?" He sighed and rubbed his face, "Still, it's the best option we have." He cringed, his mind coming up with another question that made him sick, "Are they…" He tried, but had to pause, "What's going to happen to Goten when we do this? Are they going to take him away from me, too?" He clutched at his heart, the thought of having his son ripped from him ripped at him in a way that made him gasp in pain. Tears slipped down his face. "Will I ever see him again?"

"I don't think they'll take him away from you, Dad," Gohan answered. "Especially if you're the one who calls them. Surely they'll see that you're innocent."

Lindsey wanted to snort at that. If they were calling CPS, there was no telling what would happen. She remembered those people coming to her own house after her father had died, wanting to remove her and her brothers from Shane's care, but she didn't mention that now. Goku looked worried enough as it was. "Maybe Gramma will be able to, you know, do something to stop that from happening, too," she offered. "She might not be able to do anything to help this situation at all, but you won't know until you ask her. If she can help at all, you know she will."

Goku found himself nodding. He felt numb, stupid, "Alright. We have three days until Goten has to go back to Chichi. We need to do it before then, but I would like one more night to spend with my son. If this is going to be the last time, you know, in a while." He looked up at Lindsey, tears in his eyes, "Will you come with me?"

She felt tears welling up in her own eyes for him. "Of course I will," she answered and stepped closer to hug him. "You and Goten come by the house tomorrow and we'll all go together, okay? I'll call Gramma tonight and let her know to expect us. That'll give her some time to figure something out. That sound okay?"

He nodded and wiped at his tears, "Sounds like a plan. Thank you, all of you. Maybe. Hopefully, this will be something that can be easily fixed."

Gohan nodded and picked up the carseat that held his sleeping son. "You keep Goten tonight," he said. "We'll see you tomorrow." He gave his dad a one-armed hug as Lindsey picked up her shopping bags. "We'll get this sorted out, Dad. I promise."

* * *

"Okay, ready… set… FLIP!" Sabriena laughed, guiding Goten's movements as they flipped another pancake over the fireplace. There were two big stacks on the table already, waiting for Goku and Tien when they returned. Okay, so breakfast for lunch wasn't something they normally did, but Goten had asked for pancakes and in that moment, she would give that little boy anything he asked.

Dog laid beside the fireplace, thumping his tail on the wooden floor, looking eagerly at Goten. He'd already snagged a couple of the pancakes that hit the floor and was waiting for more.

"Useless mutt," Sabriena teased.

Zip gave Sabriena an ungrateful chirp. Dog had tried to share the scraps, but the falcon just did not care for them at all. He settled down more on Dog's back, kneading into the soft fur and continued to watch for more appropriate snacks to come his way.

Goten's eyes sparkled as he kept adding to the stack of pancakes. "Wow Sabriena! We've made a lot! And there's still so much batter left! We're gonna feast!" He carefully watched as she heated the syrup and all the little tricks she seemed to do. The way she tasted to food, the way she would let him taste it as well and ask him what he thought it needed. It was so much fun. "Gosh, this is better than doing my homework," he said happily.

Sabriena snickered at him. "Yeah, homework sucks," she muttered as she poured out another pancake. "But you know, if you study something you like, it's not so bad. I liked going to culinary school." She nearly laughed at his quizzical look. "School for cooking," she explained.

Goten's eyes widened, "They have a school for just cooking? You mean you could cook all day?" His eyes sparkled at the thought, nothing sounded quite so amazing, "You think if I study really hard, I could become a cook one day?"

Sabriena grinned and ruffled his hair. "Of course," she said. "If that's what YOU want to do. Don't do it because I did it. You do whatever makes you happy when you grow up. If you wanna be a fighter like your daddy and Tien, or a doctor like your brother, or something completely different, it's up to you, buddy." She stepped back and let him flip the next pancake, but he overdid it a bit and it stuck to the ceiling. Sabriena doubled over with laughter as Goten blinked up at it wide-eyed. "Wait, wait," she laughed. "It'll fall on its own."

She and Goten stared expectantly up at the ceiling as the pancake seemed to slowly peel away from the rafter, the gooey side pulling away. It finally fell at the precise moment that Goku and Tien reappeared in the cabin and Sabriena didn't even have time to shout a warning before it landed on Tien's shoulder, splattering the side of his face with half-cooked batter.

Sabriena's eyes went wide and she clapped her hands to her mouth, staring at him in shock as he gave her a flat stare. "Really?" he asked.

Her mouth still hung open as she slowly lowered her hands from her face. "Tien, I-" But her words were cut off as Dog suddenly jumped up and flattened Tien on the ground to lick at him as Zip flapped his wings and flew up to his perch.

"Get off!" Tien yelled, trying to push Dog away, but the big Great Dane was relentless. "You stupid mutt! GET OFF!" But he froze as he heard Sabriena scream with laughter and he propped himself up on one elbow, staring at her as Dog continued to lick at his ear. It was the first time he'd heard her laugh since her father died.

Goten couldn't stop his laughter as soon as he heard Sabriena's light humour flow through the cabin, warming the area. Goku stepped closer, looking at the mess on Tien's shoulder. "Oh! Are we having this kind of breakfast in bed again?" he asked and pulled Tien to his feet before swiping a spot of batter off his nose and licked his finger clean. "Mmm, now that's delicious."

Tien shook his head at Goku as Sabriena wiped her eyes. "Oh my god, that was too funny," she giggled. "Goten, I think we have enough pancakes now. Come on, let's eat." She carried the last of the pancakes over to the table and set down the warmed jug of maple syrup. She grabbed a rag and wiped the rest of the batter off of Tien before she kissed his cheek.

Tien grumbled at her, but he couldn't stop the slight smile on his face. At least Sabriena had laughed and that warmed his heart, despite all of the stress and drama surrounding them. He sat down in his chair and filled his plate. "This looks great, Goten," he smiled.

Goku could hardly believe it, he would never have guessed that in a million years, this was what Sabriena needed to help her work through the grief of her father's death. He felt horrible that now he was going to have to take that away. They had to work through it though, it wasn't going to be the end. Goten would be back to stay with them, he was sure of it. He ate a bite of his pancakes and his eyes went wide. "Goten, did you make these? They're so fluffy!" He poured more syrup over them and dug in, moaning at the taste. He chuckled, "Two cooks in the family now. See, Tien? This confirms it, they are fattening us up and we will be the main course one day." He winked at Goten.

Goten ducked his head and blushed. He was happy that his dad and Tien liked the pancakes. "Sabriena showed me how," he grinned. "She's, like, the bestest cook in the world!" He hungrily dug into his own food, eating so fast he managed to get syrup all over his face.

Sabriena laughed and shook her head at him. Taking advantage of his distraction, she looked at Goku and Tien. "So, did you get anything figured out at Bulma's?" she asked quietly.

Goku got a wet towel, carefully brushing off his son's face of the sweet sticky syrup, "Nothing more that could help us. Lindsey suggested that we take him to go see Arthusia tomorrow to see if there is anything she can do to reveal what the senzu beans hid away." He sighed, "They want me to call Child Protective Services. I just know Chichi's going to point the blame at me. That I was the one who hurt my son." He closed his eyes, the very thought of lifting his hand against his own flesh and blood made him disgusted.

Goten blinked up at his father. He'd been paying more attention to the grown-ups' conversation than they'd realized. "You didn't hurt me, Daddy!" he protested, pausing to look down as a bit of pancake fell out of his mouth. "Where are we going? Who are we going to see?" He felt a little bit scared. If someone undid what the senzu beans covered up, would Momma get mad? Would it hurt again? He didn't like the way the beans tasted, but at least they made the marks go away and quit hurting. He set his fork down, suddenly not feeling hungry anymore.

Goku saw the unease in his son's body immediately and he reached out, placing a warm hand on his back, rubbing him gently, "I don't know what's going to happen because of this, Goten. I'm so, so sorry. I can't ask your forgiveness for me not being there for you. Because I couldn't protect you from someone you shouldn't have needed protection from." He turned his son, moving him to sit in this lap and tilted the scared little face up to meet his own, "I am going to be honest with you, as much as I can. I love you, Goten. No matter what happens, I want you to remember that always." He kissed his cheek, "We are going to take you to Gramma's house. See if she can't show us exactly what Chichi has been doing to you."

He swallowed hard and slipped his fingers up into Goten's hair, holding him close as his tears fell, "Then, I'm not sure what will happen. You probably won't see much of us for a little, while the government tries to sort out what to do. Goten, I won't let Chichi harm you ever again."

Goten didn't like the sound of that at all. He didn't understand why he wouldn't be able to see his family, he didn't know who Gramma was, and he didn't want Momma to get in trouble. "But, I don't want that!" he protested. "Why can't I see you? What did I do wrong? Daddy, I'm sorry! I want to stay here with you! I'll be good, I promise!"

Tien frowned, shaking his head. Perhaps Goku had said too much, but he understood that he wanted to be honest with his boy. Goddamn Chichi for putting Goku in this position. Evil, vile bitch.

Goku smiled warmly at his son, holding him close and rocked him softly, "Goten, you are perfect, you've never done anything wrong. It's me. It's Mommy who need to answer for what has happened to you. And if that makes Mommy mad, then she only will have herself to blame. I," His words caught in his throat, "Goten… I don't know if I can forgive myself for not seeing this sooner. I want you to live a happy, healthy life. Doing what you want to do, enjoying family as much as you can. I have to do it this way, but cause if I don't," he choked up and closed his eyes as tears slipped down his cheeks, "I wouldn't be able to see you again."

Goten didn't understand and he buried his face in his dad's shirt, trying not to cry as he hugged him tightly. He felt like he was being punished for something and he didn't know why. He should've kept his mouth shut like Momma told him to. He should never have told Gohan about the switch or the senzu beans. He just wanted this to all go away.

Sabriena drew a long breath through her nose and exchanged a look with Tien. "You know, Bulma can get a hold of just about anything," she said. "I bet she could get us some of that acid Vegeta keeps talking-"

"No," he cut her off, although he rather thought Chichi deserved it and then some. He finished off his lunch and pushed his plate away. They needed to stop talking about this and they needed to find something fun to do before they went through with this plan. He wanted Goten to enjoy his time with his father today. "Why don't we go for a walk?" he suggested as he got to his feet. "It's a nice day out. We can just spend some time together, how about that?"

Goku breathed a sigh of relief; thank goodness Tien had a level head between the three of them. "Yeah, let's go teach Goten how to find those mushrooms and a few berries. And I'll see if I can't get Zip to bring us down something tasty. All three of us?" He bitterly thought, that maybe if Goten paid attention, he would know enough to survive out in the woods with good food to be had.

Goku went to Zip's perch and strapped on the soft leather glove Tien made for him and slipped his little helmet to cover his eyes, "Good boy!" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a bit of dried meat as a reward. "This is going to be fun! We can roast whatever we find around the campfire!"

* * *

Tien stretched out by the campfire, chewing a piece of the roasted rabbit Sabriena had fixed for dinner. It was a late dinner for them, having spent most of the day in the woods. He felt a pride in his heart as he looked at his family. He nearly snorted. He never would have dreamed that he'd have a family of his own, but here they were. They'd foraged in the woods, bringing home all sorts of edible plants to make a salad for their dinner, Zip had hunted several rabbits and Goten had eagerly found more of the mushrooms than any of the rest of them had.

He was full and sleepy, the stress getting to him more than it should have. They'd walked all over his property that day, up the mountain and back down, talking about anything and everything except Chichi and what would happen tomorrow. It was calm and peaceful, the fresh air doing all of them some good and he couldn't help but wonder if the spells that blessed his land had an affect on them as well. Whatever the case, he felt considerably better and he knew his mates did, too.

Goku smiled at his son who was yawning loudly and fluffed out the bedding for his little man, "Here we go! You look tuckered out, kiddo." He said as he carefully tucked him into his bed, "I'm so proud of you kiddo, you did amazing out there."

Goten smiled up at his daddy and gave him a kiss on the cheek, before he nervously looked around and blushed when he saw Sabriena, "Ah… Mrs Sabriena, can I…" He blushed terribly, "Can I sleep between you and my daddy? Please?"

Sabriena smiled at him. "Sure, munchkin," she grinned as she laid down and stretched an arm out to him. She sighed as he laid down and she wrapped an arm around him, pulling his back to her chest and curled around his tiny form. She nuzzled into his hair, staring over his head into the fire. She didn't understand where this had come from, why she suddenly had changed and felt so motherly towards him, but at the moment she was too tired to analyze it. She kissed the top of his head. "You're such a good boy, Goten," she said softly to him. "You did a great job in the woods today."

Goten couldn't stop the smile sound of triumph from his voice, that was altered by a yawn, "You really think so!?" He giggled and snuggled against Sabriena, sighing happily, "Thanks Sabriena," He said sleepily and laid his head back down into the soft covers.

She smiled and ran her fingers through his hair. "Go to sleep," she whispered as Tien laid down behind her and Goku laid on Goten's other side. "Everything's going to be okay. I promise."

* * *

**A Note from the Authors:** We just thought we'd give a little shout-out to our reviewers for being so fucking awesome!**  
**

**Amkula: **You know we love you. Thanks for being (somewhat) patient as we edit our chapters. And hide those brownies so the little ninja stops stealing them!

**Reign of Sorrow: **Funniest. Fucking. Comment. Ever.

**GreenSaiyan: ** You gotta keep up! LOL! We work fast, like ninjas. And it was alcoholism that killed Mr. Schuler (this section of the story was a true story. Except Sabriena's father actually died in the hospital, not at home. Miss him. He was an awesome guy.)

**dbzfangirl1: **I'm not entirely happy with how quickly her dad's death came on. I was hoping to include him more in the last story, but it just didn't seem to fit. Sorry if this seemed like it came out of the blue. Thanks for being a faithful reviewer, darlin'!

**Nancy101: **There is much sadness in this story. MUCH. SADNESS. But hopefully we balance it enough with some cutesy squeeeeee moments with Goten and a good amount of romance. ;)


	5. Wash It Away

Goku sat nervously in the kitchen, dragging this hands through his hair. Gramma had told him he would only make Goten more nervous than he already was, so he was to sit out here with the others while she did her work, "I don't know what I'm thinking guys. Half of me wants her to not find anything, but the other half." He closed his eyes, ignoring the tears that slipped down his cheeks, "I just want Goten to be safe. I should have seen the signs. I should have done something to protect him! Now, it this is what we think it is, I might lose him forever." He bit his lip with worry, glancing down at the hallway again.

Lindsey reached over and rubbed at his back. "Shh, Dad, it's going to be okay," she soothed. "This isn't your fault. Chichi managed to hide it too well. Even Gohan didn't see it. You can't blame yourself for this." It made her angry to see him so upset. Hadn't Chichi put him through enough as it was? And now she was hurting Goten as well. Lindsey shook her head. No, she'd been hurting Goten all along and none of them had seen it. "Gramma will figure this out. I know she will."

He swallowed hard and nodded, but it didn't change how he felt. He must have failed as a father for not seeing the signs. Sabriena, his loving wife, had see the signs. Seen the signs after spending a total time of less than an hour with him. He tugged at his hair, positive he would be bald before this ordeal was over.

Lindsey frowned at the way he pulled at his hair and reached out to grab his wrist, tugging him to stand. "Come on, let's go sit in the living room. You can lay back on the couch and try to relax for a minute," she suggested. "You look way too stressed out. Come on."

* * *

Goten followed Gramma back into an old room, lined with books and candles. It smell like incense and had a relaxing quality about it. He peered around nervously as the little tub of water in a wooden basin that sat in the middle of the room, over the star in the middle of the candles.

"It's okay, Goten," Gramma said in a gentle voice, reaching for his hand. She could feel how frightened he was, how confused he was. It wasn't fair that someone so small had to deal with such big problems. There was no question about it, his mother had hurt him repeatedly. Now it was just a matter of finding the proof they needed to be able to remove him from her custody. She was proud of Goku for keeping a level head about this and doing it the right way. She didn't doubt for one minute that Chichi would do everything in her power to create as many legal problems for him as possible if he didn't do it this way.

Gramma crouched down next to Goten and smiled warmly at him. "I'm just trying to help your father protect you," she said. "But in order to do that, we have to see what your mother did to you, honey. You understand?"

Goten swallowed hard, but nodded, "Momma said...said I wasn't supposed ta tell anyone." He said in a small voice. She was going to be furious, but if this meant he got to spend more time with his daddy, then he wanted it, "Is… is this going to hurt?" He asked her with big eyes as he carefully pulled off his shirt and pants, stripping down and stepping into the pleasantly warm water. It smell of lavender and made his eyes droop.

Gramma gave him an apologetic frown. "It might hurt a little bit, honey," she said as she knelt down in front of the basin, picking up the sea sponge. "But we'll see if we can't get you healed back up as quick as we can, okay?" She drew a deep breath as she dipped the sponge into the water. Already, she could see marks on his shins where the water had washed away the effects of the senzu beans.

As gently as possible, Gramma Arthusia washed him, her frown growing as more and more of the ugly switch marks appeared on his body. Long, thin lines in varying degrees of healing revealed themselves on nearly every inch of his little body. Some were fresh and red, others dark purple, some fading to green. But it was his back that was the worst. She felt bile rise up in her throat at the sight of his poor little back. He'd been whipped so severely that it had broken the skin in horrifying slash marks that crisscrossed his back.

She felt dizzy from it all. She could feel the hatred in the marks. Oh, what a disgusting creature his mother was. She had to pause and calm herself for a moment before she continued to gently swipe the sponge over his skin. A tear formed in the corner of her eye as she saw him flinch and heard him whimper. "I know, darlin', I know."

Goten was trying his best not to make a sound. Mother had always scolded him for crying while she was punishing him, hitting him harder and calling him a crybaby, that he needed to man up. His back hurt the worst and when Gramma passed over it again, he cried out and fell forward into the water, grasping the sides of the tub as he cried out, his hot tears falling to the floor, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" Became his chorus. His back stung horribly, it was as if he could feel the skin breaking open again, marring him once more.

Gramma stopped and moved in front of him once again. "Goten, you don't have to be sorry," she said, cupping his face in her hand. She lifted his face to hers, staring intently into his eyes. "Don't you ever say sorry for this. You didn't do this. Your mother did. This is not your fault, baby. You didn't deserve this."

She picked up the sponge once again, still holding his face in her other hand, and hesitated for just a moment. She wasn't sure if she wanted to wash his face. She didn't know if she could bear to see it. Grandma Arthusia dipped the sponge into the dark, herb-laced water once more. She brought the sponge up one last time, hesitating, then said, "Close your eyes, boy." She set her jaw and exhaled sharply through her nose, then gently scrubbed at his face. Gramma had to bite back a gasp as a dark purple line appeared on his little cherubic face. Goten's left eye was dark purple, tinged with green around the edge. There was a long line from the right side of his forehead, down across his face to the left corner of his mouth as if he'd taken the switch directly to his little face.

Goten didn't know what was going on. The marks were appearing on his skin, they hurt, not as bad when he had received, but they stung as if they had freshly been put there for an hour or so. He couldn't stop the tears from rolling down his face them, He remembered the full pain when Chichi had hit him, punished him for being a bad boy, a little monster. He closed his eyes, warriors didn't cry, but he couldn't help it. The sponge was warm, it felt pleasant. Momma was going to be so mad at him. He wasn't supposed to leave the house with these marks on him. He looked up at grandma, pain evident in his little voice, "Why does momma hate me? I try real hard to be good." He sobbed miserably.

The old woman paused and stared into his dark eyes. "It's not you she hates, sugar. It's herself." Gramma looked him over once more, absolutely disgusted. How many times had this boy been whipped? And judging by the degrees of healing these marks were in, this had happened over the past few weeks at best. Dear gods, is that all this woman did? The marks on his back that were still fresh and open were seeping blood, turning the water red.

Gramma dropped the sponge in the water and cupped Goten's face in her hands, her eyes intense but warm. "You're a very brave little soldier," she said in a low voice.

Goten looked at her, her hands were warm and he leaned into her touch. He remembers the mark that she was cupping his face for. He swallowed hard, nodding. "Momma, she got mad at me. I tried to cook. Make dinner for her, but a pan caught fire...I couldn't put it out..."

"Shhh, shh, shh," Gramma hushed him. "You don't have to explain anything' to me, darlin'." She stood up suddenly and offered him her hand to help him out of the little wooden tub. She wrapped him in a fluffy towel, careful of the marks on his back. "Do you like chocolate?" she asked him and took his hand, leading him towards the kitchen. "I've got some chocolate cake I think you might like."

He scrubbed at his face with his fists, trying to stop the tears. His whole body ached as he followed her. He nodded at her, "I love chocolates! But...momma says I can't have them unless I've been good." He pulled the towel around him, it was soft and warm as if it had just come out of the dryer. He licked his lips as they went into the kitchen, "I would like some."

Gramma set him in a chair at the table and made sure there was space between his back and the back of the chair before she cut him a big slice of the cake and set it in front of him. "You have as much as you like," she told him. "I need to have a word with your daddy." She left the room then, and leaned against the door when she closed it behind her, relieved to break the connection between herself and that little boy for a moment. Arthusia had been an empath for as long as she could remember. Everyone always thought her odd or eccentric. But the truth was, she knew things about people because she could FEEL them. She couldn't see into their minds or, like so many fools assumed, READ their minds. But she could feel the emotions of anyone close to her. That's how she'd known Tien's heart was aching for Sabriena all those months ago. That's how she knew Chichi was leaving Goku before the year was out. But feeling poor little Goten's emotions was almost too much to handle. And when she brushed her thumb over the marks, she could feel Chichi - that cold, self-loathing hatred that screamed within that woman's soul. Gramma Arthusia shuddered violently. This had to stop. And it had to stop now. She hurried down the hallway to the living room where Goku and Lindsey waited.

Goku was laying on the couch, his head in Lindsey's lap as he started at the ceiling. They had been talking quietly, she had been telling him about Phoenix. About happier things to take his mind off of the current situation. He tried hard not to think about what his son would look like with the magick of the senzu beans undone. To show what Chichi had been trying to hide. He hummed a sad little tune as his daughter stroked his hair, massaging his scalp. He felt safe in this place, everything smelled like incense and herbs. He tilted his head back as he heard Arthusia coming back. Reluctantly he pushed himself up, but stayed close to Lindsey's side and looked over as the woman came into the room. His voice shook, uncertain, "Did...did you find anything?"

Grandma Arthusia drew herself up to her full height, fixing Goku with a serious stare. It was easier to feel people if you could get a good look in their eyes. There was nothing in him that made her think he had known about this. He was frightened for his son, beyond livid with his ex, and angry with guilt at himself. And there was still hope there. Hope that it wasn't true, that something had been said wrong or misunderstood. "How in the Hell did a pure spirit like you end up with such a wretched creature like her?" Gramma demanded.

Goku wasn't expecting that question, but the implications that it posed were unmistakable. He had never seen this woman so fierce, so angry before in the entire time he had known her. His brow creased with worry and he shook his head before he could form words, "I... she... she made me promise... when we were little... I thought..." He looked away, he really was such an idiot and his son was paying the price for it, "I thought wedding... marriage... was a type of food... I promised... her..." He looked back up at Arthusia, "I don't break my promises and I would never regret my sons." He rubbed at his eyes, feeling the tears well up, a panic setting in, "What... did she do to my son?"

Gramma pressed her lips to a thin line as she stared at him for a moment longer. He was hurting and it broke her heart to feel it. "You'll have to see it for yourself," she said and stepped closer to him. She took his face in her hands, staring down at him. "There's no way to sugarcoat this for you, honey. She hurt that little boy bad. The spell worked. It revealed the most recent marks. I'd say these occurred within the past three weeks or less." She paused and shook her head. "Your son is lucky your blood runs in his veins. A normal child wouldn't survive this, emotionally or physically."

Goku shuddered, she might as well have slapped him across the face. The marks, the beatings had been lethal? "Are you saying that he would have died if he was normal child?" He blinked at her, he felt a twinge of anger bubble up inside of him, but it was surpassed by his need to make sure Goten was alright, "Can I see him? Did it hurt him?"

"Dad, you said Chichi was a fighter, too," Lindsey gently reminded him. She hadn't thought about it before, but now the thought of Chichi with a switch in her hand frightened her. Beating a child with that? It made her stomach churn.

"The wash undid what those beans covered up," Gramma answered. "He's hurting, so try not to touch him too much. Especially his back. It looks like that's where he got the worst of it." She moved to sit next to him and took his hand in hers. "Your little boy has a strong spirit. But he's very soft-hearted like you. You are going to have to make a very hard decision to do what is best for him. You can see him. But honey… it's not pretty."

Goku nodded and looked at Lindsey, "Will you come with me? I'm not sure what I'll do." He swallowed hard and squeezed grandma's hand, "Thank you, for everything." He stood up and walked down the hallway as he slipped his hand into Lindsey's. Each step seemed to take forever, his feet felt as if they were made of lead. The door was in front of them and he put his hand on the knob, twisting it and pushing it open, "Goten?" He pushed the door open and looked around the kitchen. He spotted his son instantly as he was happily eating a large piece of chocolate cake but, the mark on Goten's face made him hesitate, made anger well up inside of him. He walked over to Goten and tears formed in Goku's eyes as he knelt in front of his son. The mark across his face, the black eye. He could see more bruises and wounds hiding beneath the towel, "Goten, can I see under the towel? Please?" He looked fearful, "Im not going to hurt you son, I would never hurt you like this. I promise you, she's never going to hurt you ever again, but I need to see."

Goten nodded as he pushed the empty plate away and slipped the towel off, cringing as the soft material stuck to his back a little bit. He whimpered when he saw thin lines of blood on the white cloth. "I'm sorry, Gramma," he said, looking apologetically at her for ruining her towel.

Goku fell back sitting in a heap on the floor, tears falling down his face. His eyes were glued to the horrifying wounds on his son's back. Deep, ugly criss cross patterns that had been cut deep into his skin. The jagged skin was sure to scar over and leave him marked like that for life. All of this came from the past THREE WEEKS?! His arms, his chest, his neck, his legs. He got to his knees, "Oh my boy." He cried out, his head bowed down, touching the floor, "I'm so sorry Goten... I'm so sorry... I should have seen... I... please forgive me, Goten... I'm so sorry. I should have seen this, I should have protected you!" he sobbed out, his tears splashing onto the wooden floor, his soul aching.

Lindsey hung back in the doorway, tears sliding from her eyes as she saw the marks on his body. Chichi would not get away with this. Surely they could get Goku full custody now. This was horrible. She'd never seen anything like it in her life.

Goten stared at his father with a concerned curiosity. "Daddy, you don't have to be sorry!" He jumped off the little chair and tugged at his father's shoulder. "Daddy, don't be sad. You didn't do anything wrong!" He didn't understand why his father was apologizing. He didn't like seeing his daddy so upset. "I'm sorry, Daddy," he sobbed. "Maybe Momma has another bean I can eat and the marks will go away again! I didn't know they would make you so sad."

Goku let himself be pulled up at Goten's insistence as tears rolled down his face, "You have every right to be mad at me, son. That mommy was doing this to you and I never even suspected." He looked over at Lindsey, his eyes fierce and hidden with worry about what would happen next. He swallowed harshly, a hard decision had to be made. No, it was very easy choice and yet, very hard at the same time, "Goten..." he gasped, pulling back and looking at his son in his eyes. He didn't even try to ignore the mark that ran diagonally across his face, "We have to call some people about mommy. She shouldn't be doing these things to you, not ever. These people we are going to call, they..." He swallowed harshly, "They're going to take you out of the house. Away from mommy. Away from me, for a little while. You will be safe, but its going to be a little scary, but you've done so much. Can you be brave for me for a little while longer while we sort this out? Hopefully the people we call will let you stay with your brother or me while we sort it out. They are going to want to take pictures of you, okay?"

"I don't want my picture taken!" Goten protested. "Momma says the marks are ugly!"

Lindsey knelt down next to them, looking Goten in the eye. "They are ugly, baby. But that's not your fault. They're ugly because of where they came from, you understand?"

Goten shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes. "Daddy, I wanna stay with you and Sabriena! And Tien! I like it there! Please?!" He turned to Lindsey, "Or you and Gohan! Gohan's always nice to me. Why can't I stay with my brother?!"

"We're gonna try, Goten," Lindsey promised. "We'll try." She knew she didn't even have to ask Gohan about it. He would gladly take in his brother in a heartbeat if it meant keeping Goten safe.

Tears slid down Goten's cheeks again. "I promise I'll be good! I don't want Momma to get in trouble. Please, Daddy, I love Momma. I don't want anyone to take me away!"

Goku nodded, "I know you love momma. She gave me you and your big brother, but she's not doing very loving things for you right now. Parents who love their children don't do this Goten. You've always been a good boy. Your mother got on me for a lot of things too." He gently cupped Goten's cheek, hating to see the fear in his eyes, "These people, they aren't going to trust me or your brother at first, so they have to take you away, but we'll be here for you. Bulma and everyone will help us get you back to us as soon as they can."

Goten's eyes filled up with tears and he cried, "Can I... can I see Sabriena before we call the people?" He sniffled. It all sounded scary. And he would be alone? "Daddy, I dont want to be alone."

"There will be other kids there, Goten," Lindsey said. "It might be fun; you could make a new friend."

Gramma reentered the room then, carrying something in her hand. She stopped and held out her hand to Goten, a little silver hammer balanced on her palm. It was attached to a simple piece of leather string. "Do you know what this is, Goten?" she asked. She smiled when he shook his little head, staring at the gleaming piece of silver that was intricately engraved. "This is Mjolnir. The hammer of Thor. Thor is a Norse God," she explained. "And he is a protector and a healer." She fastened the necklace around Goten's throat. "He will protect you. Never ever take it off. Okay? This one is specifically for you."

Goten touched the warm silver metal around his neck. It felt good. Peaceful. Safe. He nodded at Gramma before he threw his arms around her neck, hugging her, "Thanks for the cake." He withdrew and went back to Goku, crawling into his dad's lap.

Goku looked at Arthusia, "I can't thank you enough," He sighed shakily, tears slipped down his cheeks and he wiped them away with his hand, "I hope I'm strong enough to face Chichi." He leaned down and nuzzled Goten's cheek affectionately and wrapped his arms more securely around him, as if he could keep away all the evils of the world in that embrace.

"You just do what's right for him," Gramma said in a firm voice. "I know you will. But you keep a level head, too. Don't let her get to you, no matter what happens. She's going to try to make you look like the guilty one, Goku. She's going to say you did this, or that Tien or Trouble did this. You have to be ready for that. And you can't let yourself get angry, especially not in front of those caseworkers. Those people will use every trick in the book to make sure neither of you see him again if they have anything to say about it. I know there's some good ones that work there, but just like anywhere else, there's bad ones, too. So you be careful about what you do and what you say."

Goku nodded, "I'll do my best." He looked down at Goten, committing his face to memory. It was going to be a while before he would see him again. He tried to laugh through his tears, "Guess I should have taught you that instant transmission technique, huh?" He licked his lips and tasted his salty tears, "Let's go see Sabriena and Tien one more time before we call them."


	6. The Right Decision

"Okay," Lindsey said as they appeared in front of the cabin as she looked to Goku. "Should one of us tell them first?" she asked in a soft voice. "Or should we just go in?" The sight of Goten's face was shocking, to say the least, and she wasn't sure how her husband and Goku's mates would react upon first seeing it. She didn't want Goten to be any more frightened than he already was.

Goku shifted Goten in his arms, careful not to press on his back, the wound's still angry and red. He leaned his head against his son's chest, "What do you think, little man? They are going to be fussing over you, no matter what. I don't want you to be scared or anything."

Goten hugged his dad's hair, burying his face into the soft strands, his dad smelled like soap, campfire smoke, and spices, "I can do it. I'll be brave, I promise." He swallowed, "I wanna see Sabriena."

Lindsey reached up and gently ruffled Goten's hair. "You're so brave," she cooed and turned to lead the way into the cabin.

Gohan was sitting at the table, nursing a cup of coffee. He looked tired and his eyes were red. "Hey," he smiled when he saw Lindsey. Sabriena was at the fireplace, checking freshly baked loaves of bread and stirring a pot of soup. Tien was sitting quietly at his place at the table, staring intently at his coffee cup.

Sabriena turned and grinned, but her smile fell as Goku walked in, carrying Goten. She dropped her spoon to the wood floor with a clatter and rushed over to them. "What happened?" she cried, her hands hovering mere inches from Goten's face. She wanted to grab him, looking him over, heal him. "She... She did this to him?!" She felt like screaming. She never imagined it would be this bad. And that was just the mark she could see. She didn't know if she wanted to see what was under his clothes.

Goku could almost sense what Sabriena wanted to do and he nodded at her sadly, "You can't heal these, not until after we call CPS and they see."

Goten saw Sabriena's sad face, "It doesn't hurt that bad anymore, Sabriena. I'm okay, honest." He held out his arms for her, his expression was sad as he tried to fight away the tears that threatened to fall, "Daddy says I gotta go away for a little while."

She carefully gathered him in her arms and carried him across the cabin to sit on the bed with him. "No," she cried softly, clinging to him. "You're my buddy. I want you here." She carefully peeled up the back of his shirt and gave a strangled sob, quickly smoothing it back down. "I'm so sorry, baby."

Tien's energy was rising, pure anger boiling in his veins. "Goku, you can't be serious. You're really going to trust the law to handle this right? We should keep him here and be done with it!" He jumped up, overturning his chair, his eyes blazing. He'd seen Goten's back when Sabriena pulled up his shirt.

Goku looked sadly over at Goten and Sabriena. It was so very tempting to just do what Tien said and keep Goten here and to hell with everything else. It warmed his heart, but it tore him up to see those marks on Goten's body. He could see the horror in Gohan's eyes, the way he hugged Phoenix to him protectively, "Chichi has to be held responsible for her actions. Bulma will help, she already promised us that. I want this done right, so she never lays another hand on him ever again. If we keep him here, she'll say we kidnapped him and beat him. I won't stand for it." He dragged a hand down his face, smearing the tears that kept falling down at the thought of his son being taken from him in this way, "Arthusia said those marks are no more than three weeks old."

"THREE WEEKS?!" Tien shouted. "She did all that in three weeks?!" He started pacing the floor of the cabin, his hands on his hips, staring at the floor. "Let them say we kidnapped him. Like I care. All that matters is that boy's safety. And you're a fool if you're going to trust the law to handle this. Don't you remember the last time we let the law handle something? Your daughter's attackers walked away SCOT-FREE!" He pointed at Lindsey who tried very hard to sink into the shadows in the corner.

Goku stepped in front of her protectively, "Don't bring her into his. Don't bring up bad memories! Tien, please think about Goten. It is about his safety, but I don't want him to have to look over his shoulder for the rest of his life. I don't trust the law, but I trust Bulma to get it done. This is going to be different. Chichi won't get away with this." He saw Goten hide his face into Sabriena's neck, she had her hands over his ears, her face in his hair, murmuring to him. His jaw clenched tightly, "However, should the law fail us. Then yeah. if its alright with you and Sabriena, I'll want to bring Goten out here to stay."

"You should keep him here from the get go," Tien growled. "Goku, I love you, but I can't deal with this. C'mon Dog!" Tien slapped his thigh and the big dog bounded to his side as he stormed out of the cabin and slammed the door behind him.

Tears welled in Lindsey's eyes. Goku needed Tien right now and he had walked out. She moved to sit next to Gohan, leaning her head against his shoulder as she continued to cry. What an absolute nightmare.

Sabriena clutched Goten to her chest and looked over the top of his spiky hair, "He'll be okay," she reassured her friend, "He just needs to cool off for a minute. Don't worry about him."

"Is Tien mad?" Goten asked in a tiny voice, looking up at Sabriena.

"No, baby, he just wants you to be safe," she answered, slicking the hair from his face. "He just has to take a minute to calm down. He's okay."

Goku turned and watched Tien storm out the door. His heart ached, it had already been torn to shreds by seeing his son's brutal wounds brought to light. He needed everyone's support for this. He knew would come back. He would understand why he had to do it this way. He turned to Lindsey and reached out for her and pulled her close, "I'm sorry, he shouldn't have brought that up." He kissed the top of her head, "Thank you so much for today. I couldn't have done it without you." He looked over at Gohan, "Thanks for keeping them company today while I was gone." He sighed, trying to sort out his thoughts on what had to happen next. Next, they would have a meal together as a family. Enjoy it, make it last because after that, they would go to Capsule Corp where he was going to call CPS and get this whole process started, the sooner it got going, the sooner it would be over.

Sabriena drew a long breath through her nose and looked at Goten again. "You hungry, kiddo?" He nodded. "Okay. You go sit by your brother and I'll serve our dinner."

Goten walked over to Gohan and wrapped his arms around his brother's waist. Gohan pulled Goten into his lap. "I love you, little bro," Gohan said softly. He handed Phoenix to Lindsey and hugged Goten properly, taking care not to touch his back too much. He sat him on the table so that they were eye-to-eye. "Why didn't you say something, Goten?"

Goten looked sheepish, "Momma said no one would believe me. She said you and daddy wouldn't love me anymore if I made up stories."

Gohan's blood boiled as he studied the marks on his brother's face. He lifted Goten's shirt and his head swam as he saw more marks on his stomach, his chest. He smoothed the shirt back down gently. He didn't want to see more. He still couldn't believe it. His mother had always been a harsh woman, but for her to inflict this kind of misery on her own flesh and blood. Why hadn't she done this to him when he was a child? Of course, Gohan had been a much bolder child than Goten was. And there was that one time. Gohan pushed the thought out of his head. This wasn't about him and he didn't see how it mattered now. Their mother had hurt Goten on so many levels. Her own son. Gohan froze, terror building in his chest. He'd let her watch Phoenix on several occasions. He couldn't breathe, his chest was full of a crushing, icy weight.

"Goten," Lindsey said softly, "Your dad and Gohan will always love you, no matter what. We all love you. Don't listen to her when she says things like that to you." She looked down at the baby in her arms. He was snoozing away, his soft tail curled around her wrist. She loved that. She didn't care what he may become on the full moon. She was leaving her baby the way he was: safe, loved, just the way he was born.

Goku swallowed and moved to help Sabriena get dinner onto plates and passed them out. He knew this had to be hard for Sabriena. First her dad and now this. He looked over at Lindsey, Gohan and Goten. Gohan looked horrified, his face was pale as he stared at his brother. He carried over the last few plates and he set Goten's plate next to Gohan's. He walked over to Lindsey, wrapping an arm around her back and looked over her shoulder, down at little Phoenix. Not a mark on him, of course. He loved the little tail too. He reached out and carefully smoothed some of that silky fur down, listening to the baby purr and turning to snuggle closer to his mother's breast. He sighed and went over to sit next to opposite of Goten, as he looked down at his own plate of food. It smelled good. It was a comfort food, Sabriena had said. Something to keep them warm and safe. To ease the pain of the day.

Sabriena couldn't help but think that, even with the extra guests, the table felt incredibly empty without Tien. She could feel his anger and worry coursing through her and she fought to press it down, to not let his emotions override her own. Sometimes their bond was a bit overwhelming when one or the other of them felt a strong emotion. She'd nearly broken Tien's heart when her dad died, but he was stronger at toning her down when he needed to.

She tore off a hunk of the fresh baked bread and sunk it into the steaming deer stew. She loved the crispy chewy-ness of the crust. She kept stealing glances at Goten as he ate hungrily, the light from the window making the marks on his face stand out sharply. She forced herself to look away.

Gohan wasn't eating. "Give me the baby," he said suddenly and pulled Phoenix from Lindsey's arms. He had to know, he couldn't go on another minute with the worry in the back of his mind.

She chewed quickly and swallowed, watching him carry the baby over to the bed. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Gohan looked over his shoulder at her. "We let mom watch Phoenix," he hissed.

Lindsey's eyes went wide and she bolted to his side. "Surely she wouldn't..."

"Did you see what she did to Goten? Evil bitch," he muttered as he unbuttoned the baby's outfit.

Goku dropped his spoon with a clatter back into his bowl at the realization and he looked over to the bed with horror in his eyes and he covered his mouth with his hand. No, please by all that was good in this world. Chichi wouldn't dare hurt a baby, would she? Goku wilted as he remembered the day Phoenix was born. Chichi had stormed out on them as she screamed that she didn't have a daughter. Gods this was crushing him. If she hurt his grandchild.

He squeezed his eyes shut, he felt more tears welling up. He should have been dried up by now, but somehow he still managed to find more tears to cry. He looked over at Sabriena, she kept glancing to the door. A small smile pulled at his lips as he realized that she had scooted closer to Goten or had Goten moved closer to her?

This needed to be over. He wanted to live his life in peace, without worry that a mother was harming her own children. His children. Arthusia's words echoing in his head, how did a pure spirit end up with a wretched being like her. He didn't know what to feel any more. He couldn't love Chichi for this. Any love he had for her was gone. He loved his children and that was what he needed. He didn't regret them, but he regretted Chichi. The admission brought more tears to his eyes. He needed Tien, Sabriena and him both. Tien was their stability, he was the one who was grounded, who kept them from losing themselves.

"I don't see anything," Lindsey breathed.

"Yeah, and we didn't see anything on Goten, either," Gohan snapped, looking his son over. "That's it. Dad, take us to see Grandma."

"No," Lindsey argued.

Gohan blinked at her. "What? Why not?"

"Because I don't want to know!" she shouted. "Gohan, I will kill your mother if she hurt our son. Literally. I've killed for less and so have you. We both feel too much and you know it! Do you really want to go around knowing that for the rest of our lives?!"

"How can you stand to not know?!" he shouted, getting to his feet.

"Look, she gave Goten senzu beans, right? There's no way she gave any to Phoenix! Have you ever bitten into one of those bastards? They're hard as a rock!" she reasoned.

"Unless she ground it up and stuck it in his bottle," Sabriena stated.

Lindsey turned to Sabriena, her eyes flashing, "You're not helping."

"I'm just saying!" Sabriena answered, but shut her mouth after that.

"Gohan, please," Lindsey begged. "He's just a baby. He won't remember. I don't want to know. He's fine now. Please?!"

Goten didn't like the shouting. All the bad things happened when grownups started shouting. He put down his spoon in his empty bowl and climbed into Sabriena's lap, covering his ears with his hands and shutting his eyes.

Goku watched and something touched him deep inside to see his wife with his child like that. This remarkable woman who had been selfish, spoiled, caring only for herself, had undergone an incredible metamorphosis into someone who was loving and selfless. She had cared more for his son than his actual mother had in the short amount of time she had gotten to know him. Now looking at them like this, he could see the mother in her. The one she said she didn't have.

Phoenix awoke at the sound of his parents shouting and began to wail. "Oh, well done, Gohan," Lindsey snapped.

"I wasn't the only one yelling!" he shot back.

Lindsey gathered the baby in her arms, trying to shush him. She sighed as she recognized that cry. She looked around; there was nowhere private for her to sit with him. She stomped her foot in frustration. "He's hungry," she told her husband.

Goku heard and waved his hands at them, "Go on, I need to step outside for a moment anyway," He rose and gave a small smile to Sabriena, "It was delicious. Thank you." He turned to carefully open the door and close it behind him. He heard the steady thunk of the axe burying itself into the wooden stump, seconds before he saw Tien chopping wood with all of his might. However, the logs were not the usual, perfect cut down the middle. Rather he was just chopping to chop. Some of the blows missed the log entirely, but he still kept going. He walked over, closer to Tien as he took a long deep breath, "You're right you know? We should just kidnap Goten, let him stay here with us. It's killing me from the inside out, all of this power and I can't even protect my own children from their mother!"

Tien brought the axe down with a crushing blow and turned to face Goku. "I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. I just can't stand all of this, Goku. It's killing me." He scrubbed at his eyes with the heel of his hand. "We finally got Sabriena back, got to know her dad. For what? Just to lose him? Then that whole mess with Bulma just a few weeks ago. And now, this mess with your boy." He couldn't get the image of Goten's face out of his mind. "You're the one who's right, Goku. We need to do this thing the right way. If the system fails us, then we'll take matters into our own hands." He paused for a minute, looking at the ground. "I shouldn't be such a hothead."

Goku couldn't stop the weak chuckle that bubbled up from his throat, "I think our wife is rubbing off on you." His smile fell a little and he nodded, "Yeah, we only knew him for a short time, but it felt like a lot longer to me, you know?" Goku closed his eyes remembering the man's stories, the night they stayed over late, talking to him, sharing his stories about anything and everything. He opened his eyes and looked at Tien, "Should the system fail. There will be nothing I won't do to protect my sons. My family, Tien. You know that right? I'm going to try to take some comfort in the fact that in any moment, I can go get my son from wherever they are going to place him and bring him back here," He sighed and sat down in the dirt, "I just wish it didn't have to be this way."

"I know," Tien answered. He bit the inside of his cheek for a minute, debating. "I couldn't help overhearing those two arguing in there. You think Chichi hurt your grandson?"

"To be honest, I don't know what to think any more." Goku felt sick at the thought of Chichi daring to hurt a baby, her grandchild, "I thought I knew her, but clearly I was a fool to even think that. Maybe if I was more like Vegeta, this would be over."

Tien narrowed his eyes. "Don't you ever wish to be like him." He moved closer and grabbed Goku's chin in his strong hand. "I love you for who you are," he said in a low voice, "and so does our wife. Don't ever change who you are." He pressed his lips to Goku's; a firm, strong kiss of reassurance. "Now, come on, I'm starving and you need to be inside with Goten before you have to make that call." He grabbed Goku's hand and led him back inside.

Goten was sitting so close to Sabriena that she had her arm wrapped around his shoulders. Gohan was pacing the floor now, his dinner untouched. Lindsey was laying in their bed with her back to them.

"Why...?" Tien started.

"She's feeding the baby," Sabriena interrupted.

"Oh," Tien said and turned to Sabriena. "I don't suppose you've got any supper left for me?"

She nodded and got up, kissing the top of Goten's head quickly and filled a bowl for Tien. He sat down in his chair, heaving another sigh as he looked at Goten. Poor kid. What on earth had he done to deserve that? Nothing. There was not a single thing that child could have done to deserve such abuse.

"Dad," Gohan said, stopping in the middle of the cabin, "What should I do?" He was at a complete loss. He didn't want his son to hurt, Lindsey didn't want to know the truth, and he was going crazy with worry.

Goku moved to sit next to Tien at the table, picking up his spoon and reaching for a slice of bread. He could see the fear, the worry in Gohan's worry of a father. He understood what Gohan was feeling. He had felt the same, it was a little different though. Goten had been showing signs of his abuse however, baby Phoenix was not, "Lindsey's grandmother is coming here in a few days. Think it over Gohan. Let's not make this more ugly than it has to be. We've all suffered enough."

Goten chewed a large mouthful of food and he swallowed. "Momma never hit Phoenix," he said simply.

Gohan froze for a second. "Goten, are you sure?"

Goten nodded and looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "She'd yell when he cried. And she left him in the playpen to cry until he went to sleep, but she didn't hit him."

Gohan heaved a sigh of relief as tears brimmed in his eyes. No, he wasn't happy to hear that his mother practically ignored his son, but it was far better than what his mind had dreamed up.

Goku let out a huge sigh of relief and practically sank into this bowl of stew face first, "Good boy Goten." He smiled at his son. Goten's smile beamed back at him, though the marks on his face were ugly, they didn't take away the beauty that he was. His personality and his spirit were just as pure as they could be. He tried looking at Goten in a new light. It was Chichi's fault, each mark on his skin was like a glimpse into her own soul. How destroyed she was to mark her son like that. The ugly truth, the hate Chichi had for herself.

They all settled in to their dinner, finishing quietly and Lindsey joined them a few minutes later, the baby fast asleep in her arms again.

"I guess you'd better go make that call now, Dad," Gohan said sadly after a minute. "I'll come with you. I'll take Goten if they'll let me. He can stay with us, right, Lins?"

She nodded. "Absolutely. I already thought about that."

Sabriena gathered Goten up in her arms and walked around the table to stand next to Goku and Gohan. "Aren't you coming?" she asked Tien.

He shook his head. "I'm afraid of my own temper right now," he admitted. He looked at Goten, "You stay strong, kid. It'll all be over before you know it. You're going to be okay." He felt lousy for not going with Goku, but he just couldn't stand to witness this. He worried that he would react wrong and give these CPS people the wrong impression.

Goten nodded. "Okay, Mr. Tien. I'll be good, I promise."

"Go on," Lindsey said softly. "I'll stay here with Tien. I don't want Phoenix to wake up again just yet anyway."


	7. CPS

The trip to Capsule Corp was too fast. Goku had been tempted to say that they should just fly there, but this situation had gone on far too long for his liking. He looked at Gohan and then at Sabriena. Goten had his arms wrapped tightly around her neck, hiding his face into her shoulder. Goku turned and walked into the house. He could sense Vegeta and Tora in the gravity room; they must've decided to spar together. Trunks and Catie were nearby as well. Bulma was in her lab.

"Come on," Gohan said, leading the way into Capsule Corp. They passed the gravity room, Vegeta's energy was radiating from it, and they headed straight for Bulma. The less people they saw, the better, Gohan thought. His stomach was twisting up in knots. He silently begged that these workers would let him keep his brother until everything worked itself out. He couldn't bear the thought of his brother being shipped off to live with strangers.

Bulma looked up when they entered her lab. "Hey guys," she greeted them. "What's up?"

Gohan hesitated, "Bulma, we need your help. Again."

She smiled at him, "That's what I'm here for. What's going on?" After everything they had all done to get her back, she would do anything for them. She shuddered to think that without their help, she would still be in that frigid cold world. Trapped forever.

Gohan shifted his weight uncomfortably and looked to his dad as Sabriena held Goten's face to her shoulder.

Goku frowned and shook his head. "Bulma, you remember when you said that we needed proof that Chichi hurt Goten? Well, we went to go see Lindsey's grandmother. She had a spell and it revealed marks on him. Marks that aren't older than three weeks, Bulma." He looked over to Goten, "Hey little guy, can you look at Bulma for me. Just for a second, okay?"

Bulma stepped closer, unsure of what to expect. Goten sheepishly turned his face to her and she had to stifle the gasp in her throat. "Chichi did this?" She asked in horror as she peered at the little boy. Bulma felt tears rising to her eyes. Goten was so close to little Trunks, the boys were practically like brothers. "Hey buddy," she said softly to him.

"Hi Bulma," he answered. "Is Trunks here? Can I go play with him?"

"He can't play right now," Bulma lied. The last thing on earth that she wanted was for little Trunks to see his friend like this.

"There's marks all over him, Bulma," Sabriena said. She gingerly tugged up the back of Goten's shirt. "See?"

Bulma pressed the back of her hand to her mouth and turned away, feeling sick. The switch marks were deep and angry. Without healing, it was going to scar the poor boy for life, "I'll make the call for you, Goku," she said as she grabbed a phone book from a drawer on her desk. She was going to have to emphasize that the mother did this.

"What's going on now?" came a gruff voice.

Gohan silently cursed and turned to see Vegeta standing in the doorway in his training shorts, a towel draped over his shoulders as Tora peered curiously into the room.

Goku shook his head, "Please, not now Vegeta." He looked over at him, somehow knowing that the older Saiyan would demand to know what was going on inside his house. He looked back to Bulma who had already picked up the phone on her desk.

She looked over at Vegeta with a light in her eyes, a new respect for the man. Yeah, he had a temper and he trained and trained and trained. He pushed his own children to become better, but he never, EVER, laid his hands on Trunks like this. She met his eyes and nodded over towards Goten in Sabriena's arms.

Vegeta gave her a curious look and turned to the blonde holding Kakarot's son. He narrowed his eyes and stepped closer. "The hell..." he breathed. The black eye didn't concern him so much. It wasn't uncommon for a move to go wrong in training and someone end up with a bruise. But that lash-mark that stretched across the boy's face. Vegeta was mere inches from Goten's face, staring at him.

"Hello sir," Goten said in a tiny voice.

"What happened?" Vegeta asked. Tears welled up in Goten's eyes and he turned his face away. Vegeta stood up a straighter. "What happened to him?" he demanded.

Sabriena's hazel eyes met Vegeta's with a fierce glare. "Chichi."

Goku almost felt himself bristle as he watched Vegeta get close to his son and inspected him. Just what he needed, Vegeta scoffing at him that he should have protected his son better or something like that. He quickly explained the situation. His son's distress was getting to him. He was half listening to Bulma as she was talking on the phone to someone from the CPS. He closed his eyes and looked over at Gohan and then back to Sabriena, he honestly didn't know how Vegeta was going to react to this.

Vegeta couldn't wrap his mind around it. He had always despised that woman, but this. This was unforgivable. An anger boiled inside him that a child, a Saiyan child, could be treated so heartlessly by its own mother. Saiyan mothers may have been rather cold towards their children, certainly nothing like the warm, loving mothers of humans, but they were never cruel to their children. There were fine lines that were never crossed. Vegeta's nostril flared, a snarl trying to pull at his upper lip.

Tora stepped into the room, laying eyes on the little miniature of Goku in Sabriena's arms. His tail lashed through the air behind him, slapping at his leg, curling around it. He had had the misfortune of meeting Chichi before and he didn't much care for her. She didn't care for him either, by the way she looked at him every time she saw him. He hadn't realized just how utterly evil she was until that moment. "What do we do about this?" he asked, his muscles bunching beneath his skin as he tried to control his temper. "Tell me what to do, Prince. Give the order and I'll hand-deliver her heart straight to Kakarot." The magickal blue energy crackled around his right forearm as he said it.

Vegeta tipped his head slightly, cocking an eyebrow at the offer. He turned to Goku, his black eyes burning. "We've killed for less, Kakarot."

Goku knew he was right, but Goten was still so innocent. Despite what Chichi had done to him, he still loved his mother on some level. That special bond that was held between mother and child. Though as he looked at Sabriena rock Goten back and forth. She might not have realized it, but she had a hand in his hair and was whispering so quietly only Goten could hear.

He shook his head, "I know Vegeta, I know." He could feel his own blood boiling at what Chichi had done. For having to put Goten through this ordeal. To have strangers come and look at him, question him, the only life he's ever known.

"Okay, thank you," Bulma said and hung up the phone. She turned to them. "They're sending workers here now. They'll be here soon."

A knot formed in Sabriena's throat and tears burned her eyes as she squeezed Goten tighter. Only a few short days with this little man and now she feared he was about to be ripped away from them. She'd just lost her father; she didn't know if she could stand to lose Goten, too. And she knew she didn't want to see Goku's reaction if that happened. A soft sob escaped her throat and she turned away from everyone, clinging to him, whispering to him, telling him he was going to be okay. "Daddy loves you," she whispered, "Gohan loves you. I love you."

Catie and Trunks entered the lab, curious as to all the energies they'd sensed. It didn't take Trunks long to work out what was going on. "Oh no," he moaned. "She hurt him, didn't she?"

Gohan nodded, the tears welling up in his eyes again as he watched Sabriena holding his brother. He and Goten had never had that kind of love from their mother. He prayed again that the workers would let him keep his brother. Trunks walked quickly to Gohan and grabbed him up in a hug. "They won't take him," Trunks stated boldly. "I won't let them. I swear it."

"You'll do no such thing," Bulma stated loudly. "Trunks, we are not going to fight with these people."

Trunks released Gohan and spun around. "But, mother!"

"No buts!" she snapped. "Now you listen here. These people are NOT to be messed with. And I wouldn't have made that call if I thought we had any other option. If we had more time, I'd hire a lawyer and just get custody switched. But that could take months and we don't have that kind of time. He has to be removed from her home now."

"So we take him," Vegeta stated simply. "I don't know who you called or who's coming here, but I have no problem personally going over there and collecting his belongings."

"Vegeta," Bulma sighed in frustration, "you can't do that. We have to play this by the book. It's the only way Goku can get full custody."

Vegeta snorted. "As if someone could come in and take on Kakarot."

Goku blinked. Was that a compliment from Vegeta? Even so, he knew Bulma was right. He crossed the room to Sabriena. "Let me see my son," he said softly.

She squeezed Goten one more time and handed him over.

"I don't wanna go," Goten whispered.

"I know, buddy," Goku said. "We'll see if you can go stay with Gohan, okay? I don't want you to go, either."

Sabriena stepped back, suddenly feeling incredibly alone without Tien there to comfort her. She wiped irritatedly at the tears on her cheeks, keeping her back to everyone. She was so tired of hurting. The sound in the room had gone fuzzy - she could hear their voices but couldn't understand their words. She wondered wildly if that was what their language sounded like to foreigners. She didn't know what to do with herself so she plopped down on the floor near Goku's feet and just stared up at him and Goten. Goku gently swayed side-to-side, hugging his son to his shoulder as Goten cried and clung to his neck. There was nothing left to do but wait.

Vegeta was fuming, something about how much Kakarot's boy had been hurt angered him greatly. A young one who would not even fight back against his attacker. Who would fight their own mother? He claimed to be the Prince of all Saiyans. He had been taught, among other things such as birth rights, loyalty, power, blood, that a king had a duty to his people. His father had died trying to protect the race and now on earth here he was witnessing one of Saiyan blood being cruelly treated, beaten for no reason other than the mother's want to do so. He had wanted to hurt her when she had went after Kakarot with that filth of a lie, the nonsense she spouted off about his wants and desires being unnatural. He snorted. Improper. If he saw that woman again, they would have to hold him back, because he was going to kill her for this injustice

There was a knock at the door to the lab and Tora moved to open it, allowing the two CPS agents to enter. They were escorted by three police officers in full uniform. One of the workers was a heavy set, rather harsh-looking middle aged woman with grey-streaked brown hair pulled back in a bun. Her coworker, also middle aged, was slender with short blonde hair and tired eyes. Bulma hurried forward and greeted them.

"You're the one who called, correct?" the heavy set lady asked as she thumbed through a folder she was carrying.

Bulma nodded. "We didn't know what else to do."

"You did the right thing," the lady said, withdrawing some papers and reading over them. "If the abuse is as bad as you say it is, he'll need to be placed in a home immediately." She looked up, "Are his parents here?"

"His father is," Bulma said, pointing over to Goku, who was still holding Goten.

"That the boy?" the lady asked and Bulma nodded.

The blonde stepped forward, "Let me see this little one," she said to Goku.

Goku nodded and gently pulled back from Goten before he spoke softly to him, "Hey little buddy. These people are going to make sure mommy never hurts you again. That you can come stay with me all the time. You're going to be okay." He tried to gently get Goten to let go, but his son only cried and clung tighter to his neck.

"Daddy I'm scared. I don't want to go!"

Goku shushed him as he rocked him back and forth, "It's for the best. I won't let her hurt you again. If this is what we have to do, then we are going to do it. It won't be easy, but you are a strong little warrior, aren't you? So brave."

Goten, still crying, nodded and turned in his father's embrace and looked at the strangers, "Hello." He said quietly.

The blonde seemed to suck her cheeks at the sight of Goten's face. She stepped quickly forward and grabbed him out of Goku's arms and carried him back towards the officers. "We need to photograph this," she said and set Goten on the floor.

Gohan scowled at the rough way the lady had ripped Goten from his father. He was starting to like this less and less.

"His face," Trunks gasped and started forward, but Gohan grabbed his arm. Poor Goten looked so frightened. A big officer was snapping photos of Goten as the lady turned him this way and that, lifting his clothing, nearly stripping the poor boy so they could document every mark on his skin.

The heavier set lady looked fierce as she stepped towards Goku. "Mr. Son we need to talk," she said firmly and pointed towards one of the tables in the far corner of the lab.

Goku didn't like the woman's tone of voice with him. It was almost as if she was accusing him of being the one to put those marks on his son's body. The very thought made him sick, he gave a look a t Gohan and then down at Sabriena. He tried to calm himself, he would tell the truth, no lies. Lies would only make it worse. He nodded and walked over to the table she had pointed at. The woman was intimidating and he suddenly wished he had brought Sabriena over with him. He could see the worried, horrified and angry looks on everyone in the room. He dragged a hand through his hair, cursing at himself for not seeing the abuse sooner. He finally looked at the woman, "I'll answer the best I can"

The woman introduced herself as Barb and settled herself across the table from him, not looking at him, and began to sort through more papers, setting them in small piles around her. She finally found the paper she was looking for and smoothed it onto the table and picked up a pen. "The report alleges that the abuser was his mother. Were you aware of this?"

Goku shook his head, "Not until just recently. We just confirmed it yesterday the extent of what my exwife has done to Goten. She has been covering up the marks. It's was only when my wife noticed him flinching when he had accidents around the house that we suspected something was wrong." He swallowed hard and looked over at Goten. He was shivering with tears in his eyes, "I wish I had figured it out sooner, but he is usually so happy when he is visiting. When we are training together..."

"Training?" she asked. "Please explain what you mean by training."

"Martial arts," he smiled at the woman, "He's been wanting to fight in the world martial arts tournament. So we've been training together." Goku didn't think that she would buy the story that they were preparing for a war, fighting dragons and magick," He started training when he was three or four."

Barb seemed mildly interested. "Martial Arts? He seems a bit young for that. Does he ever get hurt in training? Does it ever leave a mark?"

Goku nodded, "Bruises here and there, but never on his face. He's given me quite a few too, it's mutual." He lifted his arm and patted the forearm, "Just around here where he blocks attacks."

She raised a skeptical eyebrow as she wrote on the paper before her. "So your son has to block attacks from you? Am I hearing that right?" she asked.

"NO!" Trunks said loudly, "It's not like that! It's training! Goku would never hurt his son!"

Barb patiently set her pen down and turned towards him. "I think the room is a little crowded. Perhaps everyone else should wait outside?"

Trunks started to protest again, but Gohan grabbed him by the wrist and drug him out into the hallway.

Mary, the other caseworker, had fixed Goten's clothing and was talking to the officers. "We should interview everyone and see what we can figure out." She turned to Bulma, "What's the nature of everyone's relationship with Goten?"

Bulma paused for a minute, "Well, my husband, son and I are friends of his family. Sabriena is his stepmother. And Gohan's his brother."

"Sabriena," Mary repeated, looking around until she saw her, "That you?"

Sabriena stood and nodded silently. She wasn't so sure about this now and her stomach coiled nervously.

"Why don't you come with me?"

Sabriena shot Goku a worried look and followed the lady out of the room. When the door closed, it was only Goku, Barb, Goten, and a young-looking officer who crouched down and was speaking softly to Goten.

"That's better," Barb said and turned her attention to Goku once more and looked expectantly at him.

Goku looked back at her, "I teach him to block. I've won the martial arts tournament before. So I teach him what I know and we repeat until he has learned the move. He has learned a few offensive moves, he uses them when he sees an opening." He wasn't sure how to explain it since it all came so naturally to him. How did you explain that this kind of fighting was okay? "It's training. I'm not hurting my son. This is consensual! My exwife has been using a switch on him for being himself!"

"There is no need to shout," she said firmly. She settled herself again and asked, "The boy's mother, your ex-wife, you say? Has she ever shown signs of aggression towards your son before?"

Goku nodded, "She would yell at them. If they accidentally squeezed a glass cup too hard, it would shatter. Chichi didn't like it when he would take a break from his homeschooling. She would spank Gohan for getting things wrong, but with Goten. To think that she started using a switch." His voice caught in his throat and his eyes teared up as he thought it over, "She might have been using it before she divorced me. I was always out late training and she always made sure that Goten was always in bed by the time I got home."

She was scribbling on that paper again. She paused and glanced over at the young officer who was still speaking to Goten. "Mr. Son, I'm going to be perfectly honest with you. I'm appalled at the condition of that little boy. I cannot, in good conscience or by law, allow Goten to go home with you or his mother. Do you understand?" her tone had softened a bit and she looked concerned.

Goku nodded " I understand. I just. I don't want her to hurt him any more. Please, make sure he will be safe. I don't ever want to see him like this ever again. I love him and I'll do whatever it takes. I can't watch him suffer and know I can't do anything to help him."

Barb blinked in surprise and wrote on her paper again. "I need you to sign this paper, acknowledging that you agree to Goten's temporary placement in a foster home. And we will have to contact his mother. Do you know if she's available right now?"

Goku shook his head as he signed the paper, "She's most likely at home, you can reach her at this number." He looked at her, "Please help him." He took her hands within his own, as built as she was, her hands were still dwarfed by his and he looked into her eyes, "Please make sure he's safe from her." His tears slipped down his cheeks. "I don't want to see him hurt!"

"That's my job," she answered and withdrew her hands from his. "You wait here while I make some phone calls." She walked past Goten and the officer, pulling a cellphone from her pocket as she went.

"How you doin', little man?" the young officer asked. He had a handsome face and his eyes were warm as he looked at the little boy who sat on the floor.

Goten nodded at the man in front of him, "I just want to go home with Daddy and Sabriena!" He looked around and hugged himself, "I just wanna go home! Please?!"

The officer sat on the floor, facing Goten, one leg outstretched, the other bent at the knee. "I hear ya. This is all kinda scary, huh?"

Goten nodded and looked at him. "What's going on? Daddy said I'd have to go away for a while until this was sorted out." He looked fearful, his lip quivering again. "Momma said I wasn't supposed to talk about this to anyone."

The officer leaned a little closer. "Yeah? Did your mommy do that?"

Goten leaned back when the man leaned in, fresh tears cascading down his face. He didn't like these people. What did he do wrong? Was Daddy punishing him for the marks? Goten swallowed. Momma would be furious with him later if she found out he told. He pressed his mouth shut and looked at the ground, trying to scoot back. He wrapped his arms around his chest and wailed.

"Whoa, hey, hey, hey," the officer said softly, "Don't cry. Here, look. Look." He fished in his pocket and pulled out a silver coin, which he displayed on his hand. "You like magic?"

Goten swallowed and nodded. He glanced over at Sabriena, then back at the officer. He rubbed at his eyes with his fists, he wanted to go home, camp outside, cook with Sabriena, train with his dad and Tien.

"Yeah?" the officer smiled and extended his hand a little more towards Goten. He turned the coin over in his hands. "See? Just a yen. But watch." He covered the coin with the thumb of his other hand and began to press down, rubbing it slightly. "Watch." He slowly lifted his thumb away, revealing that the coin had disappeared. He smiled at the expression on Goten's face before he reached over and pulled the coin from behind Goten's ear. "Ta-da," he laughed softly.

He settled back against the wall, folding his arms behind his head. "You know, when I was little, someone hurt me."

Goten had laughed and clapped when the coin appeared behind his ear, his laughter died away when he looked back up at the officer, "They did?" He looked down at his hands before glancing back up, "How did you get away from them?"

"The lady that was talking to your dad? She came and took me away," he answered. "I was scared. But then I got to go and live with people who loved me." He sat up a bit and leaned towards Goten again. "It's not your fault, little man."

Goten perked up at that, "Really?" He looked over at his daddy. He looked sad, "Momma hurt daddy too, but he didn't have people come take him away. Momma said if I ever told, no one would believe me." he sniffled, "I love momma and I try to be good! I really do. Don't let momma see me like this! She won't like it."

The officer tried not to appear overly eager as he lowered his voice just a bit more. "Did your mommy do that to you?"

Goten's eyes welled up, he tried to speak but the words wouldn't come. He lowered his head and nodded at the floor. "Is she gonna get in trouble?" Momma would be very angry with him if she did. She might even switch him harder than usual. He closed his eyes, remembering the bite of the switch as it dug into his skin, stinging with the worst kind of pain. He shivered. On those nights when Daddy or Gohan had been home he had wanted to crawl up with them and cry, but Momma would say they wouldn't want him.

"Good job, little man," the officer said softly. He looked over at Goku, a relief singing through him. He didn't want this poor kid to go to foster care like he himself had. He had just gotten to his feet when Barb returned.

"Mr. Son, I contacted your ex-wife. She's on her way here to discuss this. You can step out of the room if you'd like to avoid seeing her."

Goku looked ill, a dark look passing over his face. "I'm not sure if I could look at her after seeing Goten like this." He really felt sick, "I don't want to hear her lie." He looked over at Goten on the floor, he wanted to take him out of there. He looked so scared. He was going to need to have someone hold him back from her. Tora or Vegeta, though they may encourage him to attack her. Maybe Sabriena would help him keep his head straight. He pressed his lips together. Best to shut up and let Chichi dig her own grave. He looked back at Barb, "Could his brother look after him?"

"We spoke with your oldest son," she answered. "We feel it would be in Goten's best interest if we placed him somewhere neutral. Your oldest seems extremely upset with their mother."

"Just let the kid go with his dad," the officer said in a hushed tone. "He didn't do it."

Barb blinked at the officer, "How do you know that?"

"I talked to the kid," he answered. "He said his dad isn't the one who did it. It was his mom."

She pressed a hand to her face, "You interviewed the child while his father was present? Of course that's what he would say." She huffed and walked to the door, motioning one of the other officers over. "Get your rookie out of here before he really screws something up," she hissed.

The young officer seemed to deflate as the older officer nodded for him to leave the room. He bent down again quickly and handed the coin to Goten. "You'll be okay, little man."

Goten nodded and sniffled as he took the coin and held onto it. He didn't know what to do or to say, why couldn't it all be over? Now he had to wait for momma to show up. She wouldn't be happy. Not at all.

* * *

Gohan leaned against the wall in the hallway, his arms crossed. "Man, I really hope they let me take Goten," he muttered, "I mean, I don't see why they wouldn't, right? Bulma could talk 'em into it, couldn't she Vegeta?"

He snorted and glanced over at him before looking back down the hallway, "She very well could. She's stubborn and she understands this sort of thing better than the rest of us. It's whatever's best for the boy. I cannot wait to hear the excuse that bitch comes up for this. I might let Tora rip her heart out. After I'm finished with her, that is."

"And I wouldn't stop you," Gohan muttered darkly. He stared at the tile floor as Sabriena came out of a room to his left, followed by the CPS worker. "Hey," he said softly to her, "What'd they say to you?"

"Not a lot," she answered in a tone that matched his. "Wanted to know how long I've known Goku, how much time I'd spent around Goten, yada yada. You?"

"They asked me a bunch of questions about when I was a kid," he answered. "I-" Gohan never got to finish his sentence.

"OUT OF MY WAY! Where's my son? What is going on here?!"

Gohan involuntarily flinched at the sound of his mother making her way up the hall. Mary, who had been interviewing Sabriena, intercepted Chichi before she got close enough for Gohan to speak to her. She ushered Chichi into the lab where Goten and Goku were. Just before the door closed, Gohan heard his mother wail, "Oh, GOTEN! What happened to you?!"

Vegeta's jaw clenched and he tightened his fists, they could hear the tendons growing tight, "She's really going to try and blame Kakarot."

Goku breathed heavily through his nose as Chichi came into the room. She didn't deserve to see their son ever again. The words out of her mouth enraged him to no end. Was she really playing dumb?

"Oh, GOTEN!" Chichi gushed when she saw him sitting there on the floor, covered in marks. She dropped to her knees and hugged him tight to her chest. "Oh, my baby!" There were big, dramatic tears streaming from her eyes as she fussed over him, kissing his face, holding him in her arms. "Goku! What did you do?!"

Goten hissed and whimpered as his mother hugged him, the marks on his back screaming in pain. "Owwww," he whined. Chichi didn't seem to notice.

Goku's eyes snapped over to her. He was shocked and appalled, "You're hurting him!" He cried as he watched the way Goten tried not to cringe, "Get your hands off of my son! You've done more than enough damage. You want to know what I did? I took him to see Lindsey's grandmother. She found the marks you were trying to cover up!"

"That crazy old devil worshipper," Chichi snarled. "You took our son there? No wonder he looks like this!"

"Both of you need to stop," Barb said in a loud, firm tone. She turned to the big officer, "Why don't you take Goten out to the back yard to play for a minute? I need to speak to his parents."

The officer bent and pulled Goten out of Chichi's arms. Chichi looked furious.

Barb ushered her over to the table Goku was at and motioned for them both to sit down.

Chichi crossed her arms and looked away from Goku, scooting her chair slightly away from him. "We've contacted a foster family to take Goten," Barb said. "And we are assigning a caseworker to work with you. Obviously, our goal is to reunite you with your son, but we have to make sure that he is in a safe, stable environment."

Goku nodded. It wasn't ideal, but as long as Chichi was kept away from Goten, that's all that mattered, "Do what you have to do. Just, he eats a lot for a little boy his age." He paused and wanted to ask if he could say goodbye, but wasn't sure how that was going to be viewed. He definitely didn't want to give Chichi any more ammunition. His blood was boiling as it was. First, she accused him of raping Sabriena and now she dared suggest that he was the one to beat Goten. He was so done with her.

Before he could get an answer, Chichi snapped, "So you're okay with them just shipping our son off to god-knows-where? Honestly, Goku, how can you be like that?! We won't know where he is or who he's with, if he's doing his studies! You're going to let them rip him away from everything he's ever known?!" The tears poured from her eyes now as she glared hatefully at him. "You may not have been the best husband or father, but I never thought I'd see the day where you just walked away from him. This is a new low."

Goku was unmoved by her outburst, it almost scared him how cold he felt, "No. I'm not okay with that Chichi, but you've forced my hand on this. At least this way, I know Goten won't be near you." Oh, how he wanted to punch her, but violence wasn't going to help him. His heart stopped a beating as it clicked in his head that Chichi was trying to get him to do something violent just so she could point a finger at him and say Look! Just like I said.

He shook his head and let out a huff of air looking to Barb, "I'm stepping out into the hall. I need air. Please let me know if you need anything else." He stood and moved out of the room as he tried to remind himself to breathe. He saw the group down the hallway and walked over to them, his lips pressed thin. He didn't know what to do.

Sabriena threw herself against Goku's chest, hugging him as tight as she could. "I love you," she whispered, burying her face in his shirt, trying to stop the tears that threatened to fall again.

Gohan's breath caught in his chest when he saw his dad, his heart hammered in his chest, barely daring to hope. "Are they gonna let me take Goten?"

Goku shook his head, "No, they are putting him in a home. A neutral place where they know he'll be safe while they investigate." He screwed up his face, "They're assigning us a caseworker who will come and investigate us? See who they can trust to take care of Goten." He wrapped his arms around his wife, holding her tight. She had been perfect throughout this; just what Goten had needed. She would have made a fantastic mother. A pang of longing hit him, he was sad he would never get to see that. He sighed, "I guess I shouldn't be surprised Chichi tried to blame me."

"That's about par for the course," Catie muttered, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall next to Trunks. They stood in silence for a few minutes, waiting to see what would happen next.

Sabriena stood on tiptoe to press her lips to Goku's throat. "We'll get him back, baby. I promise. Tien and I will do anything we need to do, okay?"

Goku nodded. He was so tired. Tired of the lies, tired of this system where they had to play by someone else's rules. One way or the other, Chichi wasn't touching Goten again. He was going to make sure of that. "I want to go home, but I want to ask that lady if I can visit Goten when he is in the foster home." He looked behind him, "But I think I might do something I'll regret if I go back into the room with Chichi still in there."

He didn't have to wait long before the CPS worker and Chichi walked out into the hall. Mary was there, too. "They've got a home ready for him," she said. "We need to get him settled."

The officers were walking back up the hallway with Goten. "You can say your goodbyes now," Mary told Chichi.

Chichi rushed over to him as the officers stood protectively close; the young officer placed his hand on the pistol at his hip. "Oh Goten, don't you worry," Chichi gushed. "Mommy's going to make this all better. You'll be home before you know it. Just be brave, okay?"

Goten nodded and hugged his mother. "I love you, Momma," he said softly. She hugged him for a minute longer before Barb moved her aside. "Mr. Son, you can say goodbye now."

Goku nodded and went over to kneel in front of Goten, holding his arms open for him and carefully hugged his son, "I'll come visit when they say I can. Okay buddy? You listen and do what they say, alright? When it's over, I'll see if I can twist Sabriena's arm to make you your favorite dinner, how about that?"

Goten nodded and wiped his tears away, "Yeah! I love you, Daddy." He pulled back and looked over at Sabriena, "Can I say goodbye to you?"

Goku let go of Goten and watched him run over to hug Sabriena. He turned to Barb, "Will we be able to visit Goten during the investigation?"

"Your caseworker will determine when and how often you can visit," she answered. "The worker will be coming by to do a home study sometime this week. Just to see the condition of your house, make sure that it's a safe and healthy environment for Goten. Things like making sure your lights are on, you have running water, a safe way of storing food, his own bed, that sort of thing."

Goku glanced worriedly at Sabriena and frowned as Chichi smirked triumphantly, "Ah, we live in a cabin in the woods. There's no electricity, we have a waterfall and a root cellar and a shower. Chickens, a goat. No food goes bad." he sighed, "Can I tell the caseworker to also look into Gohan's house too?"

Barb pursed her lips for a moment and looked over at Gohan, who looked hopeful. "It's an option. If you have alternative methods of doing things, we may still be able to work something out. It'll be up to your worker to determine what is the best course of action."

Gohan relaxed finally, the hope of at least him getting his brother at some point during this mess relieved his mind for the moment. He didn't like the idea of Goten going to live with strangers. But maybe he could meet this caseworker soon and get Goten to his home as quickly as possible.

"Thank you for being cooperative," Mary said to Goku. "Time to go," she said to Goten, who was still clinging to Sabriena's neck.

Goku nodded to the woman, "Thank you for everything. Please take good care of him." He looked to Goten, "You have fun buddy. We'll be back together before you know it."

Everyone stood in a stunned silence as they watched the officers and CPS workers escort Goten out of the house and drove off.

"I OUGHT TO KILL YOU!" Bulma roared, stomping towards Chichi, her fist raised.

Vegeta rushed forward and caught his wife on his shoulder. He pinned her against the wall. "Don't do it, Bulma," Vegeta growled.

"Get off me!" she shouted and smacked at his back. "Chichi, I ever get my hands on you, you're a dead woman! You hear me?! YOU'RE DEAD!"

Goku was half tempted to tell Vegeta just to let Bulma attack Chichi. The Saiyan prince was probably half tempted anyway.

"You're no match for me and you know it!" Chichi shouted back. She dropped into a defensive stance, "Just because I don't fight anymore doesn't mean I've forgotten how! Let her go, Vegeta!"

Vegeta was sorely tempted to release his wife, but he knew the words Chichi spoke were true. Then he'd have to step in and take care of Chichi himself and that meant either disposing of a body or dealing with earthling court systems himself. She wasn't worth the hassle.

"Fine! Catie, you take care of her!" Bulma shouted.

"With pleasure," Catie growled, cracking her knuckles as her hair flashed to green.

Goku couldn't believe himself, "Catie, don't. She's not worth the effort. It's what she wants you to do. She'll get hurt on purpose and then turn around to the caseworker and say I did it." He saw Sabriena working her jaw, probably wondering if she could use solar flare on the woman. He reached up and brushed the mark on her neck. He was very lucky to have friends and family willing to defend him, "Chichi. You aren't fooling anyone. My only question to you would be why the HELL did you do it? You were a wretched wife and terrible mother. "

Chichi looked as if he'd slapped her. "ME?! You were the one always out running all over god's green earth! You were never there, Goku. I dedicated my whole life to you and our children! I cooked for you, I kept house for you, I raised your children! And THIS is the thanks I get?! There were no marks on Goten when he left my house! Gohan knows that; he's the one who picked him up! He must've gotten them while he was with you. And furthermore, WHY WAS HE WITH YOU AT ALL?! He was supposed to be staying with Gohan!"

Goku looked furious, "Because Sabriena caught him flinching from the switch we have to keep our rooster in order. He was crying when he accidentally broke a bowl, begging Sabriena not to hit him too hard. He told us about the senzu beans you make him eat to hide your abuse!" He let a breath out of his nose, he was shaking. He couldn't feel anything for this woman any more. She knew why he wasn't home. He had been busy trying to save the world and the cold couch at home wasn't much incentive.

"HA!" Chichi scoffed, "I don't have senzu beans! I don't know where you got this crazy story from, but no one's going to believe you. When they find out how violent you and your friends are, you'll never see him again!" She scowled at him, her hands clenched in fists at her sides. "Especially when they find out about your relationship. You think they're going to see that as a healthy environment for Goten? Who KNOWS what sort of sick, depraved things he could learn living in that house! What might happen to him if you or Tien decide to-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH, MOTHER!" Gohan shouted, causing everyone to flinch. "I've had just about enough of your lies." He fought the shakes that coursed through his frame, ignoring the knot in his throat. "Everyone here knows what you did to Goten." He paused and fixed her with a fierce glare. "I wonder where you got the idea to use the senzu beans," he said in a frighteningly cold voice. "Those beans were supposed to heal us in battle, to save lives, not to cover up what you wanted to hide! One of those beans could have saved Krillin's life! But we didn't have a single one to take with us that day and now we know why! Because YOU somehow managed to get your hands on them instead."

"How dare you speak to me like that," Chichi hissed. "I am your mother! I deserve some respect."

"You think you're such a wonderful mother?" He snorted. "You're the most controlling, cold-hearted excuse for a mother I've ever met. I will personally see to it that Goten NEVER goes to live with you again! He will never forgive you for this. And he will never forget. And neither will I." Chichi tried to protest, but Gohan grabbed her by the arm and drug her down the hallway and out the door. "Go home, mother, before I think better of it and let Catie and Sabriena loose on you." And with that, he turned and walked back to the house.

"GOHAN!" she gasped in shock, "How could you treat your mother like this?"

He turned in the doorway and bellowed back, "HOW COULD YOU TREAT GOTEN THE WAY YOU DO?!" and he slammed the door.

Vegeta scowled as he still held onto Bulma, "I really cannot stand that wretch. If she dares set foot in this home again after this is all over, I'm ripping her head off."

Goku sighed and leaned back against the cool wall as he watched Gohan walk back to them, "Thanks. All of you. I really appreciate it." He drug a hand through his hair. He was beyond tired, this all felt like a bad dream, "At least Goten is safe." He looked over at Sabriena, briefly wondering about Chichi's words and what his relationship with Tien and Sabriena would mean. He supposed they would cross that bridge when they came to it.

"You did the right thing," Bulma said, walking over to Goku now that Vegeta had finally released her. "I'm going to help you. You'll get him back, I promise." She reached up and hugged his neck. "You're my oldest friend, Goku. You know I'd do anything to help you."

Goku slid his arms around her and hugged her tightly as he mumbled into her shoulder, "Thank you." He let go of her and looked around the group, "I suppose that's enough damage for one day. I think I'm ready to go back home." He tried to remember who all had come with him to Capsule Corp. He'd already been around the world once today and with all that was going on, he forgot. He reached out for Sabriena.

Gohan hugged Trunks and Catie quickly, thanked Bulma and stepped next to his dad. "Don't forget me," he laughed lightly, although he didn't much feel like laughing. There was a burning emptiness in his chest as he thought about his little brother being shipped across the city, all alone in that car with a bunch of strangers. He hated his mother more than he had ever thought was possible. If she didn't want Goten, she could've brought him to Gohan. He barely had the chance to think all of this before he found himself standing in Tien's cabin.

Goku looked around when they arrived. Tien and Lindsey looked over at them expectantly, but their faces dropped when they saw Goten was missing. He shook his head, "They took him to a neutral home. The important thing is that he's away from Chichi. It was a real mess when she showed up. They're going to be sending someone out to investigate the home situation. To see if it's fit for Goten to live here." As he looked around, he realized that the one room cabin probably wouldn't help his case on top of all that. He looked to Gohan, "Hopefully they'll decide your home is safe for him."

"Wait, whoa, time out," Tien said, holding his hands up. "Someone is coming out here, to MY house, to investigate it? Investigate for what? We didn't do anything! It was that psycho ex of yours that hurt your boy!" He was livid, his face turning red, a vein throbbing in his neck. "They think we had something to do with him getting hurt?"

Goku looked down at the floor and nodded his head. He hadn't thought about that. Tien liked his privacy out here and here Goku was messing everything up again, "Chichi said I was the one who hurt him." He looked back up at Tien, "They just want to make sure this place is safe for Goten. If I should get awarded custody, they want to make sure he has a good home to go to."

Tien grabbed at his head, turning halfway away from Goku in frustration before turning back to him. "There's no where on earth that's safer!" He froze as if a lightbulb had just turned on over his head. "Wait, this is good. This is good! If they come out here, they can see how good this place is for Goten. The natural food, the fresh air and anyone with half a brain can feel the protective spells. Right?"

Goku nodded,"Though. they might have something to say about the no bedroom for Goten...or the three of us." Goku shook his head, "I just, I don't know, Tien. Hopefully we will get someone who is open minded and just wants to help Goten. That's the important thing. And if that doesn't work, Gohan's been saying he could take Goten. Thanks for that, by the way. I can't imagine a better place for him if not here than with you two."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," Gohan said, staring at his wife as she gathered Phoenix in her arms. "We should probably head home," Gohan continued. "Is there anything else we can do before we go?"

Goku shook his head and gave them a smile, "Nah. You two have been amazing today. I can't thank you for what you did. Let's get you home." He wrapped an arm around each of their shoulders and looked over at Sabriena and Tien, "I'll be right back guys."


	8. Goku's Wish

Sabriena was lost. She stared blankly at the spot where Goku had vanished for a few minutes before she looked over at Tien. "Why?" she whispered. "Why did all of this have to happen?" It wasn't fair. She sighed, realizing that nothing was ever fair, but still. Couldn't they catch a break ever?

Tien walked over to Sabriena, this entire ordeal was making him exhausted, and he tugged her into his arms. "Because Chichi's a crazy bitch who won't leave well enough alone," he muttered as he leaned down and kissed her shoulder. He sighed and shook his head, "I just wish it would all stop. I just want a few years of peace with you and Goku."

She nodded and slid her arms around his neck. "Me too," she whispered and captured his mouth with her lips. She tilted her head to the side, slipping her tongue into the warm cavern of his mouth. She moaned against him, closing her eyes. Oh, she needed this. She needed the strong comfort of her husbands that night, just to feel that connection, to escape from the nightmare for a little while.

He kissed her slowly, lightly. He broke away from her, knowing what she wanted, but he just felt that he couldn't. "Baby, I'm sorry. I can't do this tonight," he whispered. He was sick with worry and anger. His heart couldn't be in it that night if his mind was in a million other places. "I'm sorry," he repeated.

She looked at him with concern, searching his features. "Why not? Are you sick? Did I do something wrong?" she asked worriedly.

He laughed lightly at her. "No," he said, "I'm just exhausted. I'm sorry. I can't handle all this stress. I just want to go to sleep."

"Oh," she pouted.

Tien didn't like the disappointed look on her face. "Tell you what," he said, "Why don't you and Goku go spend some time together in the hot tub?"

"I don't want to just sit in the hot tub," she muttered. "I just want to be held right now. By both of you. Just something to make the pain go away, make me feel like there's still good in this world."

"I know," he answered. "That's what I meant. You and Goku spend some time together."

Sabriena blinked at him. She and Goku had never been together just one on one. She felt a shiver run up her spine. "Tien, are you sure?"

He snorted lightly, "Hey, I had my time with him the other night, remember? He's your husband, too. You all go relax and just...just love him, Sabriena. He needs you as much as you need him. And I'll be right here in bed waiting for you both when you're done. Okay?"

Sabriena nodded and kissed him, but jumped when Goku reappeared in the cabin.

Goku smiled tiredly at them, feeling his heart warm at the sight of them both. It was good to be back home...it would be better if everything had just been right with the world...but he would have to make due. He walked over, placing a hand on Sabriena's back and rested his head on Tien's shoulder, "Is it over yet?"

"Far from it, I'm afraid," Tien muttered, leaning the side of his forehead against Goku's.

"Hey, Goku," Sabriena said softly. "You know what sounds good? A long soak in the hot tub. What do you say?"

Goku brightened at that and lifted his head and looked down at her, "That sounds amazing right now. I'll go get it started, yeah?" He kissed Tien as he stood back, "You coming too?" He started for the door, looking over his shoulder at them. He had an idea he wanted to try with some lavender in the garden and hoped they would approve.

Sabriena waved Goku out the door.

"Well, that certainly seemed to lift his spirits," Tien chuckled and tried to stifle a yawn.

"Come on, baby," Sabriena said, taking him by the wrist and leading him towards the bed. He sat down and she pulled his boots off for him, setting them aside.

"I'm sorry I'm so tired," Tien apologized as he yawned again and rubbed at his eyes. "Man, I feel like I could just pass out. I'm getting too old for this."

"You're fine, baby," she said softly. "You sure you're okay with me and Goku?"

He laid back on the bed and slipped out of his pants, handing them to her to drop in the laundry basket. "I'm sure. I love you both."

She kissed him again before she pulled the blanket over his shoulders. "I'll give you a back massage or something when we come back in, okay?" He nodded drowsily and rolled to his side, falling almost instantly to sleep. Sabriena frowned at her husband. All this stress was wearing on him and there wasn't anything she could do about it. She tossed the laundry in the basket and headed outside, looking for Goku.

Goku had the water in the hot tub filled with water and a couple handfuls of crushed lavender floating inside. He was working on the fire so he could heat up the water, smoke rising up around him. He heard her come out and he turned to wave at her before he turned back around and focused on his work, "Tien fall asleep?" He paused, "I didn't mean to drag you and Tien into this mess. "

She walked up behind him and ran her hands up his back. "You didn't drag us into anything." She leaned over him as he crouched by the fire and began tracing the mark on his neck with her finger. She hoped he wasn't too tired, that he wouldn't pull away from her like Tien had. She didn't think she could bear it. She understood that Tien was worn out, though.

Goku shivered and he turned to her as he moved to sit back on the ground while the fire got the hot tub...hot. He pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her before he buried his face into her neck and kissed at her mark, "I wanted to thank you again. For everything. You were really great with Goten today."

"No need to thank me," she whispered as she gently grabbed at his chin and pressed her lips to his. She shouldn't have felt nervous like this, it was Goku afterall. She'd made love to him many times in the past. But never without Tien. Tien was always present, always within arm's reach. This was new. She couldn't help but wonder if he was interested in being alone with her; it was so outside their norm. She twisted in his arms, pressing her chest against his and deepened their kiss.

Goku shuddered as she turned around and pressed up against him. He slid his arms around her waist, feeling her skin, sliding his hands up underneath her shirt. He pressed her closer, turning his head just so their lips melded together and their tongues danced against each other. He felt his body responding in kind to her. Her firm round bottom pressed up against him in a way that made his breath hitch. He let his fingers tangle into her hair. He briefly wondered that Tien was missing out on this, but perhaps he was alright with them being together like this. It warmed his heart to think so. After that night they had together, just by themselves, he now had a moment with Sabriena. He wanted her, but he wasn't sure if he wanted her out here first or in the hot water. He could smell the lavender now, it was probably just about ready, "What do you want, Sabriena? Just tell me."

She leaned her forehead against his, staring deeply into his dark eyes. She was breathless from their kiss. No one could make her heart flutter like Goku and Tien could. She could smell the lavender from the hot tub - it seemed so relaxing and inviting. "Make love to me? In the water," she answered softly, "just me?" Her tone was vulnerable, her big hazel eyes questioning as she looked at him.

Goku nodded, leaning down to nip at the mating mark a moment before he gathered her in his arms and stood them up. His hands went for her shirt, curling his fingers around the hem and drew it up and over her head, drinking in the sight of her creamy smooth skin. The lacy bra held her firm breasts until he reached behind her and unsnapped it. His breath caught as she was revealed to him. She was a vision of beauty.

He let her bra and her shirt slip from his fingers to the ground as he moved to cup her gently, letting his thumbs brush over her nipples, watching the way they pebbled under his touch before he continued down and unbuttoned her pants and slid them down her legs along with her underwear before he helped her step out of them. The way she didn't shy away from him, the look of pure want in her eyes. He felt his heart aching for her in a way he couldn't describe. He watched her carefully as he went about removing his own clothing before he helped her into the tub and climbed in after her.

The hot water soothed her muscles and the stress along with them. She watched as Goku climbed in after her and sunk into the water with a contented sigh. She drank in the vision of him. Every chiseled line of his muscles, every tiny dip and curve of his body, the light tan on his skin. He was a god, pure and simple. She drifted through the water to him and briefly captured his lips, then trailed her mouth down his chin, his throat. She pressed her lips along his collarbone until she saw the mating mark on his neck. She covered it with her mouth, tracing it with her tongue. She smiled as he shivered beneath her. She ran her nails down over his chest, flicking at his nipples, smiling as she felt his strong hands trail over her body.

Goku was nearly purring as she moved over him, he had forgotten just how pleasurable the mating marks could be for him when they were paid due attention. This amazing woman drove him absolutely crazy, made him forget about the stress of the day and allowed him to push it to the background for a moment. He could rest easy knowing that Goten was safe and sound.

He leaned forward kissing her neck and moving his hands up and down her arms, slick with the water. He slipped his hands down into the water before he gripped her hips and lifted her up and then down over his stiff shaft, sighing as he dropped his head back against the rim of the tub. Oh this was different. Different in a good way, a great way. He filled her so completely. The tip of his cock rested against the back of her it felt like, "Gods..." He breathed.

Sabriena gasped as his thick length filled her. It was a comfort to her, to have her body so closely joined with one of her mates. All the while knowing Tien was perfectly fine with it. She should have known that anyway. She groaned low in her throat as she felt the head of him rubbing gently, but firmly, against that sensitive spot deep within her. It ached pleasantly and she ground down on him, pressing her cervix harder against him. It shot shocks of pleasure up her spine and she gasped lightly, the pitch of her voice nearly a squeak.

Goku shuddered as she pressed down on him, grinding herself on him. He leaned forward, catching one of her nipples in his mouth and he cupped her breast. He wanted more of her, wanted to go deeper. He lifted his head and kissed up her throat to the mark on her neck. He grabbed her hips and held her to him as he stood up. He couldn't stifle his gasp at the change. It drove him crazy and he moved her around and leaned her against the side of the tub. He moved one of his legs up and set it on the seats in the water. He slowly tried the position, thrusting up into her as he pulled her down over him at the same time. He groaned deeply as her hot body slid over him, he did it leisurely, taking his time to lean down and kiss up her chest to her neck until his lips were pressed against hers. He breathed her in, shared her air. He loved the way her body grabbed at him, held him tightly, cherished.

Sabriena's eyes fluttered shut as she kissed Goku, her breath flowing from her throat into his until he slowly exhaled and she drew the breath back into her own lungs. It was peaceful, intimate, tantric even, to share the life-giving air they breathed. He was slow and passionate as he filled her, pulling her body over his. She tangled her fingers in his hair, the silky black spikes that she loved so much. She clung to him, consciously clutching at him, hugging his shaft within her. Oh gods, this was what she needed. One hand still tangled in his hair, the other trailed down his neck, over the mark and gripped his shoulder, lightly digging her nails into his skin. She loved the feel of his body, so hot, slick with water, the hard muscles pressing against her, so solid and yet soft at the same time. She exhaled again, feeling him drink in the air, pulling it from her lungs. This was so new, yet so natural; her Goku stealing her breath away.

Goku nearly sobbed at the passion between them. He wanted to stay like this forever, he wanted it so much. He wanted what he had seen of her today. She had stolen his heart all over again. The way she had held Goten so naturally, rocking him back and forth, his little arms clasped tightly around her neck. She would have made a wonderful mother.

A sudden desire hit him, made him falter in his pace and he pulled her down over him again and again. Deeper and deeper into her. Why hadn't they met earlier? She could have stopped him from being tricked. She could have been the mother of his children. He felt himself grow harder within her at the thought of her growing, swelling with his child in her. He leaned over, kissing at the mark on her neck before he moved his lips to her ear, kissing at it before he whispered harshly, "I wish," his voice was throaty, barely above a whisper, "I wish I could get you pregnant."

Sabriena gasped loudly at his words and her body tensed around him. She'd wondered, suspected, with his not-so-subtle gazing at her belly from time to time. But for him to speak the words aloud was different entirely. They tore at her heart, yet inflamed her at the same time. She tried to imagine it, carrying the child of the most powerful warrior the world had ever known. To see the excitement in his eyes, hear the thrill in his voice. But she had promised herself and Tien that that would never happen. It COULD never happen. That was a decision she'd made long ago and the choice was permanent. Her chest rose and fell as she breathed. He wanted to truly mate with her, to bring new life into this world through the joining of their bodies. She couldn't stop the excited thrill that shot up her spine and made her buck her hips harder against him. She couldn't tell him yes, but she couldn't exactly say no either. "I know you do, baby," she breathed into his ear, still holding onto his hair, "I know you do."

Goku groaned as she clenched around him, drawing him closer. He kissed at the corner of her mouth fervently before he withdrew from her body a moment. Hearing her pitched whine of objection and her questioning eyes. As an explanation he powered up, his hair lifted up and turned to gold, his eyes to sea foam green, his cock hardening and growing even more than possible. He picked her up again, teasing the head of himself against her slick entrance a moment before he pushed back into her. He once again pulled her down onto him with one hand and used his other to press against her abdomen, relishing in the feeling of her swelling with his girth. He shivered at the sensation and leaned his head down against hers, his eyes meeting her own.

"OHHHHH," she groaned as he filled her even more than before. His hard shaft delved deep into her, stretching her with an exquisite ache. His golden aura lit up the yard and danced over the steaming water. She could see every defined line of his body if she glanced down, but she only dared to do so for a split second before she stared into those seafoam pools again. His look was intense, captivating. She wondered how she'd ever come to this place and to her husbands. It was fate, pure and simple, and you don't question something like that. She wondered. She wanted to give him everything he'd ever asked of her. It was impossible, but that didn't mean she couldn't find out what it would've been like. "Goku," she said softly, "If... If I could say yes... What would it be like? Show me... how you'd do it."

Goku shivered as he clutched at her body. Her words burned him to the core and he reached up to cup her cheek with a free hand as he leaned down and captured her lips with his own before he tangled his hand into her hair and moved her head to the side to expose her mark to him. He leaned down and hotly press his lips to her, tracing it out before he lightly bit down as he thrust into her, filling her over and over again, letting himself go. The heat, the friction and her words tumbling over and over in his head, "This is what it would be like." He breathed.

He was resting right against her inner most place. He could practically feel her body trying to take him in further, into her womb. He growled against her. His voice raw, wanting, needing her. He thrust up into her, groaning as he felt himself twitching within her and he redoubled his pace. She was so slick on him, her body seeming to suck on his rock hard cock. He felt himself tightening, drawing up. He leaned down and bit at her mark, licking, kissing, before he lifted his head, nipping at her ear, "This is what it would be like. Nothing would bring me greater pleasure than to see you swell up with our child."

He couldn't stop himself at the sound of his voice, his words, he pulled her down harshly, filling her, feeling himself resting against her so deeply. His thrusts were frantic as he felt his climax approaching, suddenly there all too soon and he pulled her down on him as he thrust into her. He could feel himself at the very back of her. His blunt head pressed up against the entrance to her womb. He came hard, almost swearing that he could feel his hot liquid passing her tight band of muscle, entering into her uterus, imagining it as it happened. His hot essence, his hot seed filling her. He tilted his head back and cried out, "Yes. Yes SABRIENA!"

Her body clenched around him as he thrust into her, so hot, so incredibly hard. She felt it, the hot liquid pooling deep in her belly as he came and her breath stopped. She screamed in pleasure, her own hair turning to a brilliant golden light, the air crackling with her energy as she came. She could feel that hot liquid penetrating her body, filling her. "Oh, god, Goku!" she shouted, clinging to his shoulders as the waves of orgasm washed over her again and again. She lurched forward on impulse, her teeth latching onto the mark on his neck, not breaking the skin, but just barely. She growled against his neck, holding it between her teeth as her body shook against his. She breathed harshly through her nose, her eyes shining brightly, every muscle in her body rigid. Her chest rose and fell against Goku's as she tried to calm herself, to will her body to relax. She'd never felt so feral. Stars popped before her eyes as the waves of orgasm washed over her every nerve. It seemed to last forever, this pouring out from his body, deeper inside her than she'd ever felt it before. It warmed her from the inside out, forcing tears of pleasure from her eyes.

Goku's eyes went wild and turned a shade of red as he latched onto her mark as well, satisfying a deep need within himself to bite at her. Gods, he felt protective of her as he finished emptying into her body, riding out her orgasm. He felt his strength draining from him, his lust starting to slake. His hair fell back to normal as he watched her with hooded eyes, marveling at her transformation. He soothed his tongue over her mating mark, waiting for her to settle down.

She suddenly realized she'd held her breath for far too long and sucked in a gulp of air as she seized against his chest, her whole body trembling over and over as he held her. "Holy shit, Goku..." she breathed. Her jaw ached from biting him so hard, so long, and she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the mark was unblemished.

Goku was spent, boneless and he collapsed against her as his legs turned into jelly. He breathed heavily against her for a moment, they were both catching their breath. He finally moved off of her, unable to suppress the shudder and moan as he slipped out of her body. Carefully, he moved her back to sit down in the hot water and he cradled her against his chest, raining kisses over her face, "I love you. I love you so much. Sabriena."

"I love you more," she panted, melting into his embrace. Oh, how her heart ached. She wanted to give him everything in the world and the one thing he asked for was the one thing she could not give him. She snuggled into his neck, nuzzling against the mark, one hand resting on his bare chest. "You'll never know how much I love you."

Goku smiled at her as he stroked her hair, leaning back in the water. He chuckled at her contentedly, "I know you love me. I know you promised." He touched a finger to her chin and lifted her face so he could look at her in her eyes, "Though, I seem to remember you saying you didn't want to have a child because it would ruin your look. I'd have to disagree. You would have looked beyond beautiful. I don't think I can ever tell you and Tien how much I love you two. How much I owe to you both. You saved me. I couldn't have made it through all of this without you and him." He leaned down and lightly bit her chin, smiling at her, "When I saw you with Goten today. I just couldn't help myself. "

"Goku," she said, hating herself, "You know I want to give you everything you could ever ask for. But this... Tien and I agreed a long time ago we didn't want kids." The was a pang in her heart. Something, deep down inside her, was hurting, longing in a way she didn't know was possible. If only she'd been Goten's mother. "It's not about my figure anymore. Where on earth would we put a baby out here?!" Her heart broke. Was she changing her mind? Did she want to have a child of her own? Or was it just a longing to please her husband. But in doing so, would it displease Tien? She couldn't do that to him. How would he feel about her carrying Goku's child? But there was still that nagging longing deep in her core. "I want to make you happy," she whispered. "But none of that matters now because, well, I made that decision to have that surgery before I ever met you. Even if I wanted to, I can't now. I'm sorry."

He put a finger over her lips, "Relax. We've had too much stress today." He gave her a goofy smile, "I know what you promised Tien and I respect that, Sabriena. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Just know, you do make me happy. Both of you. I am so lucky to have you and Tien. Don't second guess yourself. I'm content just to sit back and watch my kids grow up and watch as they have kids. Though, I might just plan to kidnap Phoenix." He snickered at her look and stole a kiss, "You okay? I don't want you to lose sleep over this."

It was a little late for that. On top of worrying over Goten, she knew she would be thinking about this for days. Not his words, but this weird longing he'd awakened within her. She had always despised children in the past. They were loud and obnoxious and sticky. But Goten was different. Sweet little Goten. She wondered what a child between her and Goku would look like. 'Gorgeous, of course,' she thought vainly. "Our baby would've been beautiful," she murmured sadly as she stared down into the water.

Goku chuckled and caught her hand in the water, "You know, I was thinking about what a kid between us would look like. Your blond hair and my looks." He snorted, "We could just have Goten walk around as a Super Saiyan and the mystery would be solved." He smiled at her, "You know, if you keep being so amazing to him, he might just start calling you Mommy. Would you be alright with that?"

Sabriena turned in his lap to straddle his hips and looked him in his dark eyes. "Absolutely," she breathed. Her look turned fierce, "I cannot give you what you want, Goku, and I'm so truly, down to my core sorry. But I will be the best mother in the world to that little boy. I promise you, I will be the best mother I can be for him." She paused, "And I'm sorry I can't give you another. Please, understand. Please forgive me. I feel like I'm failing you."

Goku felt tears of happiness coming to his eyes and he reached up with both of his hands to cup her face, "Theres nothing to forgive. That's all I could ever want. You've already done more for him in the short time you've gotten to know him, than she has her entire life." He kissed her again, slow and tender, his heart soaring with happiness. Reluctantly, he pulled back from her and looked into her eyes, "Come on. Let's towel off and go cuddle with the husband. He should have the bed nice and warm by now."

She giggled and nodded, relief flooding through her. Gods, this man was amazing. Most men would be bitter and angry if their wife told them no, especially on an issue such as this. She hopped out of the tub and dried off quickly, then grabbed Goku's hand and drug him back into the cabin where Tien was snoring softly.

Dog raised his head from his spot in the corner and thumped his tail noisily on the floor. "Dog, shh!" Sabriena scolded in a loud whisper. She rose lightly into the air and slipped onto the bed next to Tien and pressed her back to his chest like she always did. She waved at Goku to follow her, pulling the quilt back for him.

Goku snickered at her and followed her example, hovering in the air and over them, settling down into the bed with them, facing the both of them, grabbing the quilt and moving up over them before he snuggled down into the bedding and a squishy pillow. He reached past Sabriena and cupped Tien's cheek, muttering a goodnight to him before he leaned down and kissed Sabriena soundly before he relaxed into the bed. He yawned and cuddled closer to them both before letting his eyes fall shut. Tomorrow was going to be interesting, but at least he had that moment with his two loves.


	9. All the Small Things

Sabriena awoke in a cold sweat, sitting bolt upright in the pitch blackness of the cabin, grabbing her hair and panting. She could feel the bodies of her husbands on either side of her, both of them sleeping soundly. She calmed herself as she realized it was just a dream. The same dream had played over and over in her head. She found herself giving birth to babies covered in bruises that were quickly carted away by faceless CPS workers while Goku sat by, staring disappointedly at her.

"Fucking fuck," she whispered, then clapped her hands to her mouth. Tien would scold her and make her do a million pushups if he'd heard that. She glanced down at him; he was usually such a light sleeper, but in his exhaustion she was fairly certain she could run a freight train through the cabin without waking him.

She carefully slid off the foot of the bed and found her way to the table, grabbing up the little box of matches, and lit the oil lamp. She quickly went to the wardrobe and pulled out a pair of jeans and a tank, dressing in the dim light. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror; there were dark circles starting to form around her eyes and her hair was a mess. "You look like shit," she hissed at her reflection and quickly yanked a brush through her hair before braiding it into two low, loose pigtails. The only thing she could think about was Goten. Where was he? Who was he with? Was he sleeping? Were there other children there for him to play with? Had he been given enough at supper to eat? A Saiyan appetite was unnerving to someone who wasn't used to it. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she thought about him and the last time they'd tried to cook together. He was so scared after he knocked the mixing bowl on the floor and it smashed. She never, ever wanted him to look at her with that scared expression again.

The way the moonlight streamed through the window told her it couldn't have been much past midnight. She sighed, realizing it was hopeless to try to go back to sleep. She simply had too much on her mind. Goku had asked her not to lose sleep over anything, but it was too late. There was no way she could go back to sleep after everything that had happened that day. Her time with Goku in the hot tub had been amazing, yet it unnerved her at the same time. She hated denying Goku of anything. His whispered words, the feel of his teeth at her neck, the deep filling of her body as his seed spilled into her inner depths. It was intense and intimate and had it not been for her previous surgery, she knew he'd have gotten his wish right then and there. She shivered.

The caseworker could show up at any time that week. Hell, he or she could show up first thing in the morning. Sabriena glanced around the cabin, trying to see it with a critical eye. The floor suddenly seemed rather dirty from their constant coming and going. Cold ashes filled the bottom of the fireplace. There was the thinnest blanket of dust on the mantle. The windows were a bit dusty and grimy.

Sabriena sighed, furious with herself. They were little things, things she and Tien had never paid attention to because they were always there. Cleanliness was subjective out in the wilderness. By no means was their home filthy, but all these little things added up to a well-lived-in, rustic way of life. But would a caseworker, someone trained to scrutinize every detail, have that same view? Probably not. A fear settled into her chest, that faceless worker condemning their home, taking away Goku's rights to his son, all because she didn't keep an immaculate house.

She groaned in frustration as she sat at the table and pulled on her old sneakers. Sabriena had always been terrible at keeping house before she met Tien. Her father barely messed with those things when he was alive and her mother had passed away before Sabriena had been old enough to learn it from her. Laundry was always put off until there were absolutely no clothes left to wear. Dishes would pile up on the countertops for weeks. She had even once simply thrown all the dishes away and went to out and bought new ones because she didn't want to wash the old set.

People were rarely allowed in her father's house because of the mess and before she had let Tien and Goku come visit for the first time, she'd begged Jenny and Lindsey to come help her do a massive deep-cleaning of his home. Luckily it had pretty well stayed that way afterwards. Mr. Schuler worked so much he was rarely there and every time they went to visit, she would discreetly slip downstairs to wash his laundry or empty the trash. Goku or Tien always offered to wash the dishes after dinner and never said a word if there was an extra plate or two sitting in the sink. Mr. Schuler had taken to eating out most of the time, so there was rarely a dish to wash.

She thought she'd been keeping up rather well in her cabin. Tien was good about keeping up on his laundry and Goku didn't mind washing their dishes since they were made out of tin and he couldn't break them. On the occasion that one bent, he'd laugh and blush, then bend it back to its original shape, or at least as close to it as he could get it. But now, looking at the way a stranger from the city might view her home, she thought it looked terribly dirty. She grabbed the broom from the corner and swept the floor as thoroughly as she could, then grabbed the ash bucket and emptied the fireplace. She sighed again, realizing there was so much work to be done. And that was on top of her regular chores.

Cooking three meals a day, tending to Sibby and the chickens, working the garden, chopping wood, laundry most days, and training. Goku wasn't going to like it, but training was going to have to wait. They had little time to whip this place into shape. And on top of that, the hay was growing tall in the meadow up the hill. They were going to have to start haying soon if Sibby stood a chance of surviving the winter; Sabriena was now second-thinking the idea of taking on more animals, a notion she'd been toying with for quite some time.

Dog stretched and yawned, getting up from his bed in the corner and trotted over to her. She scratched at his ears. "C'mon," she said softly to him. "No sense in wasting time." He followed her out the door into the hot, dark night. Barely a breeze stirred as Sabriena grabbed up a bucket and headed to the river. The waning moonlight lit up the yard and the river and she was thankful that they had at least three weeks before they had to deal with the full moon again.

Goku was slowly getting better at controlling himself on those days, he was more grabby than aggressive now, but it was still a marked change on those days than he was the rest of the month. Saiyan PMS, Sabriena always thought in her head, but she never voiced it out loud. She didn't want to embarrass Goku like that.

She filled her bucket in the river as Dog thirstily lapped at the water. She wrinkled her nose at him, "Do you have to drool so much?" The big, spotty Great Dane panted happily at her. She sighed. "Go on then. I know you're hot." He snorted at her then ran out into the river, splashing happily and biting at the moon's reflection on the water. "Useless," she muttered and hauled her bucket back up to the cabin.

She set the bucket on the floor and grabbed a bar of the lye soap Tien made. She grated it into the bucket and gathered some rags. She decided to start with the fireplace, seeing as how it was the dirtiest, and ducked into it, scrubbing at the stones. The fireplace turned out to be a much bigger project than Sabriena had anticipated. She'd scrubbed and scrubbed at the stones, washing away the soot and ashes until the stones were a beautiful light grey color once more. She was amazed. The interior of the fireplace had never been that clean before, at least not from what she'd seen.

Over and over, she kept dumping the dirty water outside and refilling it in the river. Dog was flopped out in the soft grass outside, sopping wet and happy as a fat kid in a candy store. She washed the mantle and wiped down the stones on the outside of the fireplace, which thankfully were only slightly dusty. She carried the bucket to the corner of the cabin where Dog slept, near the foot of their bed. She picked up the huge, shallow basket that Tien had woven from cattails and carried it and Dog's blankets outside, tossing them in the yard to be cleaned.

Tien never ceased to amaze her with his craftsmanship. When Goku moved in, he'd built a third chair for their table that perfectly matched the other two, and then later made three more after that to accommodate any guests who stopped by so that their table had a perfect six-place setting. He'd also built a new dresser for the cabin, taking the time to carve intricate footings for it and polishing it until it shone. Sabriena loved that dresser. She dropped to her knees and began to wash the floor; another chore she'd never done since she had moved in over a year ago. Oh, how her life had changed in such a short amount of time. She was rather proud of herself, truth be told.

She'd gone from a spoiled rotten, materialistic, self-centered teenager to a responsible, mature young woman who cared more for others than she did for her own vanity. From living in a party house with others who cared for little more than themselves with constant noise to a tiny cabin in the Japanese wilderness with nothing more than her husbands and the sound of the waterfall. Her husbands. Oh, how she loved them so.

Stoic, grounded Tien who was her safe place. The man who had caused this change in her, who had seen her value and her worth when no one else could or would. The man who taught her that material things were far less important than the people you love, who had taught her how to fight, to be patient, to be okay with the silence and her own thoughts.

And happy, silly Goku who she could cut up with and laugh, who would dance in the rain with her or randomly chase her through a field of flowers and tickle her until she screamed if the mood struck him. The strongest fighter in the universe, yet so gentle, so adorably naïve, and so full of love that it just seemed to radiate from him to everyone around them. His love for his children, his grandson, his friends, for Tien, for her. It was easy to get lost in that love and just want to sit near him, bathing in it. Both of them hers, and she theirs, and theirs unto each other.

Her husbands, who had risked life and limb to rescue her when she could not do so for herself. Who had stood beside her at her father's wake, both unabashedly introducing themselves as her husbands to the friends and family who came to pay their last respects. Her husbands who worked tirelessly to keep their little farm going, who spent long days in the hot sun tilling and weeding and watering and sawing and chopping. Who adored her cooking and ate it gratefully, always complimenting her lavishly for another meal. The men she crawled into bed with every night, who held her and kissed her gently without need to do anything more than to simply be next to her; who lay flat on their backs, staring up at the rafters as she read novels aloud to them as if they were all watching a movie together in their heads, Goku asking any random question that crossed his mind and Tien shushing him.

Her handsome, powerful husbands who were all muscle and sinew and raw lust as they made love together to her, bringing her the most carnal of pleasures, pushing her to her brink, yet always ensuring she was safe and unhurt. She'd never known love and trust and acceptance until she came to this place and to them. They were her whole world, her very life, the reason she was put on this earth. It was her calling to take care of them, to be that soft place where they could rest at the end of a weary day, where she could soothe and heal the aching muscles, the years of loneliness, the hurts of the world around them. Always treated as an equal, despite the traditional female role that she chose to play. It was her choice to cook and clean for them. She loved it. She loved the feeling of being needed and appreciated for the things she did. It fulfilled her. She could work and train just as hard as any man and certainly hold her own against them, and then put on a pretty skirt and braid her hair and cook them a gourmet meal over an open fire.

She smiled smugly to herself now, thinking that feminists everywhere would tear their hair out at the life she lived. But wasn't that was feminism was about? Choices? This was her choice and she couldn't imagine her life any other way, nor did she want to.

And now there was Goten to consider. How could they make it work, to bring him to this place? Camping under the stars had been fun for him, but they couldn't expect him to sleep outside all the time, especially when the winter came again. Sabriena cursed the cold weather that she knew would return, despite the fact that it was now late summer and the weather was swelteringly hot. He was going to have to have a bed. But Goku had said Goten needed his own room, according to the CPS workers. Damn. Perhaps, if they made up for it in other ways, the caseworker could let that slide if he had his own bed to sleep in. And feeding Goten on a constant basis was going to prove problematic.

It was hard enough feeding Goku over the past few months. The stocks in their root cellar were growing increasingly lower and Sabriena was worried. Even if they managed to coax every last bit of food from their garden, she still wasn't sure if they were going to survive the winter. She supposed purchasing food for Goku was an option. For herself and Tien, it was not. They had both become so accustomed to unprocessed, natural food that to eat anything from a store made them ill. She shuddered at the memory of the night that followed the Christmas party. She and Tien had both been ill for days. And what would the caseworker say about their supply, or lack thereof, of food? The garden wasn't quite ready for harvesting yet and the preserves in the root cellar were less than impressive.

In fact, Sabriena hadn't let Goku or Tien go into the root cellar for weeks because she didn't want them to worry. There was always the option of hunting year round and foraging when the weather was good, but both were a crapshoot. There was never a guarantee that you were coming home with a meal. And a city-slicker wouldn't see that. Sabriena realized that they were going to have to prove that they had a way to provide food for Goten and themselves and the only thing she could reason that would work would be to take on more animals out of necessity. She originally wanted them because, to be honest, she liked animals far more than she liked people and except for a few bad roosters, she found she enjoyed taking care of them. But her original idea was based on want, not need, and she didn't like feeling backed into a corner.

More animals meant more work building shelters and fences and more haying. But it ensured a comfortable winter and could show the caseworker that they had a variety of foods to eat; foods that were considered "normal" such as cow's milk instead of goat's milk, which was sparse as it was. Sibby simply couldn't produce enough milk to meet the new demands of feeding a Saiyan on a constant basis. Add in a second Saiyan, even a little one, and things were going to go downhill quick. And while they could purchase canned goods for Goku and Goten, fresh foods like milk from the store wouldn't last out here without refrigeration.

Sabriena finished scrubbing the floor and dumped the dirty water out the front steps. Sweating and covered in dirt and soot, she sat on the edge of the porch and leaned back against the cabin, staring over the expanse of land that their cabin sat on.

She could see it in her mind's eye, the way they could set it up, make it work. Putting in a small hay barn there at the bottom of the hill, where there was a path that led up to the meadow. A corral for a diary cow or two? A lot for a hog, perhaps some sheep? She groaned as she thought about it. Did they have the time to be messing with new buildings and fences? No. Could they risk losing Goten by not proving that they could provide for him in such a way? No, they couldn't do that either. And she'd really had to twist Tien's arm to let her have the goat in the first place. Although he wasn't complaining now that they had fresh milk, butter, and cheese.

She didn't know what to do. All she knew was that she wanted Goten home, here at the cabin, as soon as possible. And she was desperate enough to do anything to get him back.

* * *

Tien stretched and yawned, his eyes fluttering open in the early morning light. He smiled when he saw Goku sleeping so close to him and scooted a little closer, hugging him and lightly kissing his cheekbone. Goku stirred slightly, but didn't wake up. Tien smiled once more before rolling over to get out of bed. His breath caught when he sat up. "What on earth?"

Sabriena smiled at him as she pulled a heavy skillet from the fireplace. "Morning, sexy."

Tien rubbed at his eyes and got up, the floor felt weird under his feet. It felt slicker than normal and he looked down, surprised to see the warm gleam the floorboards had. "Did you mop the cabin?"

Sabriena nodded. "Well, scrubbed on my hands and knees is more like. And polished it. And cleaned out the fireplace and washed the windows and…"

"Didn't you sleep at all?" he interrupted in a concerned voice, walking over to her.

"No," she answered a little too quickly, "No, not really." She served their breakfast of fresh eggs, biscuits with gravy, and plenty of coffee, which she had obviously already consumed plenty of. "Go wake up Goku, won't you?"

Tien shook his head and scrubbed at one eye with the heel of his hand as he yawned, but he walked back over to the bed and shook Goku awake. "Hey, get up. Breakfast is ready. And I think the wife's lost her mind."

Goku stretched out, his back arching up as he lifted his arms above his head, yawning and blinking sleepily at Tien. He smiled, "Morning. Is breakfast ready already?" He pushed himself up before moving his legs over to the side of the bed as he pushed himself out of bed. He felt contented and sated. He didn't want to leave his dreams, but he couldn't hide for ever. He stood and stretched again, remembering he had gone to bed naked and went to the wardrobe to get some pants on as he looked around. "Wasn't the cabin, ah, less clean when we went to bed?" The smell of the food caught his attention and his stomach grumbled loudly.

Tien pulled on a pair of his green pants as well. "Ya think?" he asked, "You can thank little miss Suzy Homemaker over there for that. And I know she was cleaner before I went to bed."

Sabriena returned to the table, her arms and face streaked with soot from the fireplace, her shirt looking rather dirty and her hair in fly-aways where it had fallen loose from the braids. "Yeah, well, couldn't sleep," she said and sat down to her breakfast.

Goku frowned as he went over to the table and sat down at his usual spot, breathing in the delicious scents for a moment. "Was it because of last night?" He looked at her and reached out to tuck one of the flyaway pieces of hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you worry about something else."

"It's everything," she answered, digging into her plate. "Bad dreams." She chewed for a minute before she continued. "There's just so much work to be done. I don't know how I'm ever going to finish it all in time," she said in a worried voice, looking the cabin over again and shook her head.

Goku sighed, "Sabriena. Tien. I'm sorry about all of this. To be honest with you, and I don't mean to sound like I don't care, but I was kind of hoping they would have placed Goten with Gohan. I feel like if I don't at least try to fight for him, I'll never see him again. I wish I knew what else to do. I know this is a tough situation for both of you."

Tien grabbed his coffee and drank deeply from it. It was too early for this. "You're fine, Goku. All I care about is making sure your son is safe. I'm surprised, though. I figured you'd want him here with you."

"Whether Goten ends up here or at Gohan's, they're not going to keep him away from Chichi if we don't put in a SERIOUS effort to make this place suitable for him. That caseworker could be here at any minute!" Sabriena cried. "We don't have a bed for Goten, we don't have enough food on hand, there's tons of chores to be done, and this is all stuff that we should've thought about anyway, caseworker or no caseworker. Goten will only be able to spend so many nights outside before the snow flies this winter. Then where would he sleep?" Her voice was becoming more panicked as she spoke and she took another huge drink of coffee. "And we have to get more food, keep a steady supply on hand. The cellar..." she stopped herself and tucked into her breakfast again.

Goku nodded, his head trying to keep up with Sabriena's speech and he pointed at her and looked at Tien. "I would love to have him out here with us, but like she said, where would he sleep during the winter? The full moon still happens in the winter. What on those nights? I don't mean to make it sound like I don't want him. I do, more than anything, but maybe if the cabin was bigger, if we had more food. Gohan is more prepared to take care of his brother than I am. It's closer to town, little Trunks can visit him more frequently. Wait. What's wrong with the cellar? "

Sabriena ducked her head a little closer to her plate and ate quicker.

"Sabriena?" Tien asked in a slow, scolding tone. "What is it?"

"It's... erm... a little low," she muttered.

"We low on meat again?" Tien asked, "I can go hunting today. That's not a big deal."

"We're low on everything," she answered. She sighed and looked up at her husbands. "At this rate, we're not going to have anything left before fall hits. I know the garden's doing well and I hope we can put up a bunch of preserves from it. It's doing even better than last year. But what if a big storm hits or the weather goes really dry in the next few weeks? We could lose everything. And then what? We have to do something. And I'm sorry, but I refuse to feed you all crap from the store."

"I wouldn't eat it anyway," Tien muttered, remembering the last time he'd eaten commercially prepared food. He paused for a minute, leaning his elbow on the table and pinching the bridge of his nose. "Okay, let me think." He sighed. "We've still got a bit of the Beltane ashes. We can put that on the garden to get a bigger harvest. I hate to do it, though. I kind'a wanted to keep those on hand for an emergency."

"We could always get more livestock," Sabriena suggested cautiously. She didn't want Tien to think that she was taking advantage of the situation just to try to get more pets. That wasn't what this was about.

Tien shook his head slowly, "That's a lot of extra work, baby. If we do that, we're all gonna have to really step up our chores." He could feel the emotion from her through their bond; this request didn't come from selfishness. It came from concern for Goten and he knew her heart was in the right place. He just didn't know if she was thinking it through properly.

"Isn't it worth it if we can save Goten?" she protested.

"What do you think, Goku?" Tien asked. "You're being awfully quiet. You have a say-so in all of this, too."

Goku was sad as he looked at the food on his plate. There was much more on his than on Tien's and Sabriena's combined. "It's my fault, isn't it?" He managed a small, mirthless laugh, "I'm eating you guys out of house and home. And goten will have the same appetite." He sighed. He didn't know what to do. His heart panged in his chest. "You both would be fine if I didn't live here." He looked up at them and held up a hand as they opened their mouths to protest. "Teach me how to hunt better. I can help get more food. I can do whatever it takes. I could even see if Bulma has some extra food she can give me every month or so. I guess Goten living here isn't going to workout..." He swallowed and looked at them both, "I'm selfish. I want time with you two alone. I just want the caseworker to say that Goten can come out here to stay every so often, like the weekend he was out here. If Gohan took him, I'd be alright with that."

Sabriena slammed her fork on the table. "Dammit, Goku! You can't have that kind of attitude with this person! Chichi is going to be fighting tooth and nail to get Goten back. You HAVE to make it look like you're putting in the same effort or they're going to think you don't care! If nothing else, if you could get custody, then YOU could send him to stay with Gohan. BUT WE HAVE TO TRY." She was on her feet the next instant, her shoulders shaking. She fixed him with a hard stare then grabbed up her plate of barely-eaten breakfast and set it on the floor where Dog was anxiously awaiting table scraps. "You all do what you want," she barked, "I have work to do, because I am NOT letting that little boy go back to HER!" And with that she stormed out of the cabin and slammed the door behind her.

Goku stared after her wide eyed, stopping himself from cringing at her shouts. He swallowed and glanced over at Tien. "Guess she's taking the mother thing very seriously." He sighed and ate a few bites of his breakfast. "She does have a point. I would sooner die than let Chichi touch him again. Guess we'd better shape up; guess I'd better shape up. I can't believe this mess. How did this happen, Tien?" He looked at the door, feeling warmth spread through him. Sabriena was fighting tooth and nail for his son. How could he do any less? He just didn't want her to worry.

"It isn't your fault," Tien reassured him. He didn't like the way Goku spoke, how he just seemed defeated already and the fight hadn't even started yet. Not really. He'd never known Goku to be like this. He realized in that moment just how heavily this was weighing on his husband. It didn't matter if you were the strongest warrior in the universe; every man has a breaking point. And Tien feared that Goku was dangerously close to that point.

He scooted his plate next to Goku's and quickly changed seats to sit next to him, throwing a heavy arm around his shoulders. "She's right, though. Even if Goten goes to stay with Gohan, these are things we're going to have to address for when he comes to visit us." He paused for a minute, his mind working furiously. "We can do it. Maybe we'll get lucky and have a few days to make this place a little better before that worker shows up. We can hunt all day long, but that's not a guaranteed food source. Not one that they could see anyway. I'm afraid Sabriena's right. I'm gonna need your help, though."

He leaned into Tien's embrace and smiled at him, his words lifting his spirits. "You have it of course. And so does Sabriena. I'll do whatever you need me to, Tien. Whatever it takes." He chuckled and looked down at his plate. "Guess I'm going to have to thank her again! Maybe I can find more of those mushrooms she likes."

Tien squeezed Goku's shoulders tightly before he released him. "There we go. Let's eat and get busy. I'll start building Goten a bed as soon as we're done with breakfast. How's that sound?"

Goku's face lit up and he nodded excitedly, "That'd be perfect, Tien!" He ate at an increased pace, eager to get started. They would be okay. Even if he had to go get a supply of food from Bulma. He snapped his fingers, "I can go get a separate supply of food from Bulma. Just for Goten and me! We eat all that anyway and it won't make us as sick as you or Sabriena. It'll help!" He chewed thoughtfully. He couldn't wait to start building the bed.

Tien shook his head. "Don't bother Bulma. Sabriena has money. She'll buy it for you. Bulma does enough for us as it is. Just make sure you take Sabriena with you. She'll be able to tell what will keep well better than you or I could."

They finished their breakfast and headed outside, Tien going over the types of wood he could use to make a bed for Goten. He spotted Sabriena near the side of the cabin, leaning heavily against the goat's side as she milked. "You ready to play nice yet?" he teased.

"I'm BUSY," she snapped back without looking at him.

He snorted in an amused sort of way. "Don't mind her, Goku. She's just in a mood. She'll get over it if we keep a safe distance."

Goku nodded, watching her carefully as she just closed her eyes and kept milking the goat. He nodded and followed Tien. "What do we need to do first?" he asked. He looked back over his shoulder at Sabriena. "I'll talk to her when she's calmer."

Tien chuckled and pulled open the door to the small tool shed behind the cabin. "Don't be scared of her. She just needs to cool off. We both get like that sometimes," he said. He looked over the tools and his supply of lumber, a smile pulling at his lips. "Alright, let's get to it then."


	10. Secrets

**Last Night:**

Sabriena wasn't the only one who had trouble sleeping that night.

Gohan couldn't sleep at all. He'd been sick to his stomach ever since Sabriena had mentioned that she was worried Goten was being beaten by their mother. He got out of bed and walked down the hall to the nursery, carefully picking up his infant son who was sleeping soundly. He sat down in the rocking chair, cradling the baby to his chest. He'd prayed it wasn't true, that his mother hadn't hurt his little brother. But then there it was, the cold hard truth, revealed after Gramma Arthusia had performed her spell. Goten had been taken away earlier that afternoon; the caseworkers wouldn't let Gohan bring him home.

Gohan silently cursed his mother. She'd promised. She'd PROMISED to never hurt her child again. Piccolo had been so angry that day, all those years ago. Gohan could still see the look of fury in the Namek's eyes.

* * *

Gohan was nine at the time and they were preparing to face the Androids Trunks had warned them about. His father was unable to spar that day because he'd promised Yamcha and Krillin that he would take a day to train with them. So Gohan and Piccolo were going to train without him.

Gohan couldn't remember now what he'd done to make his mother so angry, but he could still feel the sharp bite of the leather belt she'd whipped him with. He'd flown out early that morning and landed at the lookout, saying hello to Mr. Popo and Kami before he went to Piccolo.

The tall Namek gave a small smile at his student. "You're early," Piccolo said. "That's good."

Gohan gave a nod, dreading the sparring match today. He'd have to be extra guarded and keep his back away from Piccolo. He could feel the welts stinging where his shirt rubbed against them.

Piccolo dropped into a defensive stance and Gohan mimicked him, facing his mentor. They launched into their sparring match, but Piccolo could tell something was different. Gohan was guarded, cautious. While that wasn't necessarily a bad thing, it was preventing him from going on the offensive. Piccolo didn't have long to figure out why. In a move too quick for Gohan to follow, he'd jumped and spun, landing a hard kick to Gohan's back, sending the boy sprawling across the white tile floor.

Gohan screamed in pain and didn't get back up.

Piccolo watched him for a moment, not understanding what had happened. It was a hard kick, sure, but nothing Gohan couldn't handle. He walked over and knelt beside him. Piccolo's gut twisted up when he saw blood staining the back of Gohan's shirt. "Gohan... what in the world?!" Piccolo growled, grabbing the boy's shirt and yanking it up. The angry welts on his back looked fresh and some of them were seeping blood. Piccolo grabbed Gohan by the arm and yanked him to a sitting position, his eyes blazing with anger. "Who did this to you?" he demanded.

Gohan wiped at his eyes and said nothing.

Piccolo gave him a hard shake. "Who did this to you?!" he asked again, his voice louder, more commanding.

"My mom," Gohan had answered, looking down at his lap. "I made her mad. She told me to lower my power level. She hit me with one of Dad's leather belts."

Piccolo let go of Gohan's shoulders, his hands shaking in anger. "This is unacceptable. Wait here." He disappeared for a few moments, then returned. "Come on. We're going to see your mother."

"Piccolo! No! Please!" Gohan begged, but shut his mouth at the look his teacher gave him. With a sigh, Gohan took to the sky after Piccolo, heading for his home, his stomach twisting violently at how his mother would react when they got there.

Gohan thought he might puke by the time they reached his house. He hung back as Piccolo marched up to the door. The flight from the Lookout to their home hadn't calmed his temper at all. He pounded his fist on the door so hard, Gohan could swear he heard the hinges rattle. "CHICHI! Get out here! We need to talk!" Piccolo roared.

Gohan wrapped his arms around his stomach. This was not going to end well.

Chichi was wiping her hands on a towel when she wrenched the door open, glaring at him, "Back off, you BRUTE! Goku isn't here. GOHAN. Are you finished training for the day? GOOD. You can march your butt up the stairs and start hitting the books again. Doctors don't spend their time fighting with big green aliens all day long!"

Piccolo narrowed his eyes at Chichi as he towered over her. He crossed his arms over his chest, squaring his shoulders, taking a moment to calm his mind. "A doctor, huh?" he asked in a calm tone, sparing a glance over his shoulder at Gohan. Well, the kid was certainly smart enough for that he supposed, but he couldn't imagine Goku letting that happen. This kid was exceptional at fighting. He'd end up being a martial artist like his father for sure. Piccolo turned his attention back to Chichi. "Seems to me doctors don't get lashed half to death by their mothers, either."

Chichi's eyes widened a moment before they narrowed again, first at Gohan, then at Piccolo. "EXCUSE ME? I certainly didn't LASH him to death. He's standing right there. He's fine! How dare you tell me how I can and can't raise my child. He did something wrong, so I disciplined him for it! And telling LIES is only going to get him MORE discipline!" She shot Gohan a warning glare as if daring him to speak a word against her.

"C'mere!" Piccolo growled and snatched Gohan by his arm. He wheeled him around so that his back was facing his mother. He yanked up the back of Gohan's shirt, revealing the welts along his back. "You expect me to believe someone else did this to him? There's only one way this could have happened; if he lowered his power level intentionally. NONE OF OUR ATTACKS LEAVE THAT TYPE OF A MARK!"

Chichi crossed her arms, sneering, "How else am I supposed to discipline a child who can't feel pain normally?" She stopped, took a deep breath and composed herself. "I dont expect a green ALIEN like you to understand how its supposed to work! And Gohan! Where do you get off telling every Tom, Dick, and Harry about how I punish you!? Well?! ANSWER ME!"

Gohan turned to face his mother, but stared at the ground. "I... I didn't mean to..." He cringed, wanting to shrink away from his mother, but not wanting to look weak in front of Piccolo at the same time.

Piccolo growled low in his throat and dug in his pocket for something. "Eat that," he commanded Gohan, handing him the senzu bean.

Gohan hated the taste of those beans, but he eagerly crunched into it, swallowing it down, feeling his injuries heal almost immediately.

"Now go to your room," Piccolo commanded in a chillingly calm voice.

"What?" Gohan asked, looking up at the Namek. "But Piccolo..."

"I said go to your room," Piccolo repeated, a little more forcefully, his eyes still staring into Chichi's.

Chichi's eyes followed the little bean to Gohan's mouth as he chewed. She turned and watched him go up the stairs; he walked without pain, without wincing. As he tugged down his shirt, she could see whole, unblemished skin. "You better be arms deep in that homework, mister! You still haven't finished it for NEXT MONTH." She turned and faced Piccolo, "You can leave now. I have a family to take care of."

"Exactly," Piccolo said quietly. He made sure Gohan was up the stairs before he grabbed Chichi and pulled her outside, shutting the door. He slammed her back against the side of the house, holding onto the shoulder of her dress, pinning her there. He leaned down so he was on eye-level with her. "I'm going to consider this a lapse in your judgment. I may not understand the ways of you earthlings, but I do know that what you call punishment is unacceptable. There is NOTHING that boy could have done to warrant that." His voice was low and menacing as he spoke, "If I EVER catch wind of you raising a hand to him again, you will regret it."

Chichi smirked and narrowed her eyes at him, "I doubt it, you green skinned FREAK." She hit his wrist hard, knocking away his grip on her shoulder. "What are you going to do? Beat me up like its some school yard brawl? In case you have forgotten, I'm a fighter, too. How I punish my kid is my business and it is PERFECTLY acceptable. I'd like to see just how you would make me regret it."

Piccolo smirked right back at her. "I wonder how Goku would react to this. Knowing his wife was abusing his son, the one thing he values more than anything in this world. I wonder what he'd do..." Piccolo's smirk grew wider. "You think he might leave you? Take his son and go? Then you wouldn't have this family to worry about so much anymore, would you? Maybe we should go find Goku. See what his thoughts are on this."

Chichi opened her mouth to counter, but promptly shut it. What would Goku do if he ever found out? Her reputation would be ruined, she would forever be painted in the public eye as a woman who couldn't even keep a family together, she would be the laughing stock of the town! She settled for glaring at Piccolo, hating everything about him in that moment, that stupid green skin, those pointed ears, and she just wanted to smack that smirk off his face. "Fine. What do you want?"

"You are NEVER going to lay a hand on Gohan again. He gets to train with us whenever we see fit. He can study in his free time. And he gets to come with us when we face the Androids. Or I'll go straight to Goku and tell him exactly how I found your boy this morning. Play by my rules and I'll keep my mouth shut." He glared hard at her, knowing he had her cornered. "And you're going to apologize to your son."

Chichi's face turned red as she sputtered, listening to Piccolo's terms. She was shaking. "APOLOGIZE?! For Being a good parent?! Why don't I just encourage him to keep doing the wrong things and apologize! That's not mixed signals at all!" She shut her mouth again as Piccolo glared at her. "FINE," she ground out through gritted teeth, "I'll play by your rules. I'll never lay a hand on Gohan again."

"Good," Piccolo said quickly, standing up straight again. He threw open the front door and yelled for Gohan.

Gohan jumped and nearly fell out of the window he'd been sitting in directly above them. He cringed and crept away from it, scurrying across his room and down the stairs. The thought of his dad leaving his mom terrified him. Where would they go? This was the only home he'd ever known. He swallowed nervously and stepped outside, looking up at his mother. She looked furious.

"Your mother has something to say to you," Piccolo stated, staring hard at Chichi, crossing his arms once more.

Chichi huffed at Piccolo before she went to Gohan, dropping to her knees, sparing a thought at how humiliating this was. If her mother knew she was about to apologize for a punishment she had given out, she would surely be rolling over in her grave. "Gohan, sweetie, Mommy's sorry she hurt you. I didn't mean to do it so hard and I shouldn't have done it in the first place. Everyone makes mistakes. So please, I'm sorry baby." She had to stop herself from cringing, she didn't like this at all and she didn't mean a word of it, but she had a feeling Piccolo would hold good on his word and tell Goku if she didn't up her own game.

Gohan's heart swelled and he hugged his mother tightly. "It's okay, Mom. I forgive you," he said, a knot forming in his throat. Even though he knew Piccolo had told her to apologize, she'd still said it and maybe, just maybe, a part of her really meant it. He pulled back from his mom and smiled. "I'm gonna go study now." He smiled up at Piccolo and waved as he ran back up to his room.

* * *

Gohan shivered now in the darkness of his son's nursery and pulled the baby tighter against his chest. His mother had never again laid a hand on him. And no one had ever said a word to his father about it. Gohan felt incredibly guilty in that moment. If he'd said something to his dad all those years ago, maybe Goku would've kept a closer eye on Goten, might've noticed the signs earlier, might've saved his brother from all of the pain and the fear. Gohan had never told anyone about it, not even his wife. And Piccolo had never mentioned it again. Like a big secret, swept under the rug and forgotten.

A quiet sob escaped his lips and he bowed his head over his baby, tears slipping down his nose, silently vowing to never, EVER let his child come to harm. He didn't know what to do. What good would come from telling his father now? It would only put more guilt on his dad and he didn't want that. Goku was going through so much as it was already. The coming out about his relationship with his now wife and husband, Sabriena's kidnapping, the ordeal with Bulma, Mr. Schuler's death, and now this with Goten and all of it within just a few short months. Gohan just couldn't see the reasoning behind hurting his dad any more.

Perhaps... perhaps he should go see Piccolo in the morning. As far as he knew, no one had told him or Jenny or Dende about what was going on. It had been such a dramatic day, Gohan hadn't even thought to tell them and he doubted that anyone else had either. Jenny was always so understanding and Dende was more than willing to help set anyone's mind at ease. And he could trust them to not say a word to his dad.

Gohan smiled down at little Phoenix in his arms and pressed a firm kiss to the baby's forehead. He whispered "I love you's" and "sweet dreams" and "goodnights" to the baby as he laid him back in the crib, carefully letting the little tail unwrap from his wrist. He watched his son sleep for a few moments longer, then went to climb back into bed with his wife, anxious for morning to arrive so he could go to the Lookout.

* * *

Gohan could hardly wait to get to the Lookout the next morning, his mind on fire once again. He told Lindsey he was going to visit Piccolo after breakfast and headed out as soon as they'd cleaned up after their meal. There was something comforting to him as the Lookout came into view. He landed on the big white tiles, finding everyone exactly where he figured they'd be. Dende was walking the edge of the Lookout, looking down over the side at the world miles below. Jenny sat with Alice in her arms as Paige skipped across the tiles in her own little game of hopscotch. And while Gohan didn't see him, he could feel Piccolo's energy nearby. Gohan forced a smile at Jenny as he walked over to her. "Hey Jen. Is Piccolo around?"

Jenny smiled up at him, immediately sensing something was off. She'd been around enough people who could fake a smile with the best of them, and Gohan was lacking experience. "Yeah. He's meditating around back. Piccolo, Gohan's here to see you," she said simply, winking at Gohan, knowing full well her husband had sensed his energy. "What brings you all the way out here? Is Lindsey on her way?" She carefully shifted Alice in her lap, pausing a moment when she saw her youngest just looking after Dende, a serious look on her too young face.

"No, she's still at home with Phoenix," Gohan answered. He rubbed at the back of his neck nervously; this was going to be bad. He sighed and let his hand drop from his neck and muttered, "Dende, you might as well come over here, too."

Piccolo had heard his wife's voice and left his meditation to see what could have Gohan sounding so worried. His brows creased in concern as he saw the half-Saiyan. "What's going on, Gohan?" he asked.

"Uh, well, I didn't know if you guys had heard... about Goten," Gohan said. He looked down at the tile, chewing his lip nervously. "We... ah... well, Sabriena really... found out that... Mom's been beating him," he said quietly.

Dende came over, hearing the horrible words out of Gohan's mouth.

Jenny got up to her feet, cradling Alice in her arms, her face turning red with anger. "Chichi did WHAT?" She remembered when Goten Paige had the best play dates whenever she made it out to visit with Lindsey and Gohan when they were with Goku. That sweet little carefree kid that was a spitting image of Goku himself, "She's been BEATING HIM?!"

Dende carefully took Alice from Jenny when her voice turned shrill. He felt sick to his stomach and turned his inner focus outward, listening, checking in on the little one. He was safe in a foster home. He was scared, not sure what was going on, but there were other kids to play with. He wanted his father.

Piccolo could feel his anger rising to the surface, a tension building in his neck and shoulders as his fists clenched tightly at his sides. "She did what?" he asked in a dangerously calm voice.

Gohan swallowed. "Yeah. Sabriena figured it out when Goten spent the night out at the cabin. Something about she picked up the switch she uses to keep the rooster away and Goten freaked out. Then he dropped an egg or something and he begged her not to hit him," he took a shaking breath, and finally looked up at them. "We didn't see any marks on him; we couldn't figure it out until he said that Mom made him eat senzu beans. We took him to Gramma. She had some kind of spell to undo what the beans had done." His voice nearly broke as the image of his brother swam before his eyes. "You guys can't imagine..."

Jenny clenched her hands so hard, her knuckles cracked, "No! That poor little boy. How could she?! That's her SON. How could any mother dare harm their own child like that?!" She was furious; she never liked Chichi, especially after she heard what she had done to Lindsey's stuff when they had first come there all those years ago, but this? This was unforgivable, on top of everything else she had done. "Where is Goten now? Is he alright? What about Goku? He knows about this right?! Gods." She drug a hand through her hair, looking at her own children. She couldn't even imagine hitting them out of anger. "Oh my god, that would be the worst thing ever."

"Bulma called Child Services. They put Goten in a foster home. They... they wouldn't let me take him. They said I was too close to the situation or some bullshit like that," he muttered angrily.

Piccolo felt as though his blood had turned to ice. He remembered that day clearly when he's confronted Chichi about hitting Gohan with a belt. He'd blatantly handed him a senzu bean in front of his mother and hadn't thought twice about it. If he hadn't done that, that stupid woman probably would never have thought of it on her own. He had provided that horrible woman with the means to hurt her son and cover it up. "Does Goku know?" Piccolo asked.

"Yeah, he was there when the workers came to get Goten," Gohan answered.

"No, I mean, does Goku know?" he asked, fixing Gohan with an intense stare.

Gohan blinked at him, suddenly realizing what he meant. "Oh. No," Gohan answered.

Jenny and Dende exchanged a look, Dende looked away from her, having picked up on the loud thoughts and feelings coming from both of them. He was horrified.

Jenny narrowed her eyes, "Does Goku know what? Care to clue me in?" She had never seen her husband like this. The way he stared at Gohan. "Does Goku know… know what?!" She pressed her lips thin and crossed her arms, "I know I'm going to go and break it off in Chichi's ass, How DARE she."

Piccolo drew a long breath through his nose. Neither he nor Gohan had ever said a word about that day to anyone.

Gohan gave Piccolo a desperate, questioning look. He didn't know if he should tell Jenny about it. She was ready to kill his mother as it was.

"We should have said something a long time ago," Piccolo said solemnly. "What good is it going to do now?" Gohan asked. "It's only going to make Dad feel worse."

Piccolo pressed his lips together firmly and nodded. Gohan looked at Jenny and Dende. Jenny looked like she was ready to kill someone. He drew a long breath, gave Piccolo another questioning look, and began to tell the story after Piccolo gave one sharp nod.

"Please," Gohan begged when he'd finished, "Please, Jenny, don't tell anyone. You and Dende are the ONLY people we've told. It would kill Dad if he knew."

Jenny didnt know what to do. She felt sick to her stomach to imagine Chichi beating her innocent children, ordering them to lower their power levels so she could harm them. It made her blood boil, "What do we do? I imagine if I go beat that vile woman up, she will paint it as some kind of pity and only get Goten back," she growled.

"We can't do anything!" Gohan growled. "There's supposed to be a caseworker come out and evaluate Tien's cabin, see if it's a proper environment for Goten or some crap like that." He shook his head.

"It's my fault," Piccolo said. He found he was even more angry with himself than anyone else. "I gave you that senzu bean in front of her. I put the idea in her head. And I didn't go to Goku when I should have. I could have prevented this whole thing." He crossed his arms and frowned, looking murderous. All these years holding that secret, thinking he was protecting these boys by doing it, and all that had really happened was he'd provided her with a way to hide it from them all. And now Goten had been the one to suffer.

"It's not your fault, Piccolo. It's hers. And, I mean, there's not really any point in going to Dad about what happened to me now, is there? Unless it would somehow show that this is a pattern with Mom, information he could give to the caseworker." He looked from Jenny to Dende, not knowing what to do. He swallowed harshly. "I'm sorry guys. I just thought you all should know."

Dende nodded, "Perhaps, but you are right. If Goku knew, it would break his heart and he is hurting so much right now as it is." Dende could feel it too, his soul crying out, wishing he had known. Goku's mates were trying to console him, keep him busy, give him something to work towards, but there wasn't much to be done for a broken heart born of deceit and pain.

Jenny was not happy, not happy at all. On her lips were a thousand curses she could think of to cast, the only thing staying her was Gramma's warning and that was enough to keep her silent. Why anyone would stay quiet about something like this was beyond her.

Piccolo could see how angry his wife was and it made him sick to his stomach. He'd never felt so guilty. He reached for Jenny, taking her hand. "I thought I was protecting them," he said quietly. "I had her backed into a corner. She was too worried at the time about that silly perfect family image she thought she had. I suppose she got over that." He rubbed at his face with his free hand, the frustration building in him.

He suddenly turned to Gohan. "Why didn't Goku just take him?" he demanded. "Why bother with these... caseworkers... whatever they are? Don't tell me he's counting on earthling court systems again!"

Gohan sighed and shrugged.

"Oh for god's sake," Piccolo growled, releasing Jenny's hand and turning away from them. The longer he thought on it, the more he wanted to go and beat Chichi within an inch of her life.

Jenny sighed, trying to sooth her anger away. It wasn't helping anyone. "If Goku can convince the courts that he is a good parent and that Chichi has been the one beating him… and you," she paused and looked pointedly at Gohan, "then he can keep Goten away from Chichi forever. She will have no rights to him at all. He could take him away and there would be nothing that woman could do ever again to get him back. Its a smart move, really."

Piccolo cast a disbelieving look down at his wife. "Yeah, and if we just took Goten, there's not much she could do about it either," he answered.

Gohan couldn't help but smile slightly at that. "Tien thought the same thing," Gohan said. It was funny to him how much Piccolo and Tien could be alike, yet Sabriena couldn't stand Piccolo while she was head over heels for Tien. "But that wouldn't help Goten. He'd never be able to go to school or out in public. They'd view it as kidnapping," Gohan said.

"How can you kidnap your own child?!" Piccolo demanded.

Gohan shrugged. "Because Mom was given custody of him, just because she's his mother."

"Ridiculous," Piccolo muttered.

"Jenny, you said if Dad can convince them that Mom beat Goten and me, it might help. Are... are you thinking I should tell him?" Gohan asked in a nervous voice.

Jenny held a hand to her chin, thinking for a moment before she sighed and said, "Well, I don't know. If I were in Goku's shoes, I'd be hurt. Badly, that my friends didn't tell me about this sooner. That you kept it a secret from me, hurt that you didn't think I would be responsible enough with the information." She shook her head and looked at Piccolo sadly, "You should have told him. Both of you." She turned, taking Alice from Dende and walked off towards Paige.

Gohan's shoulders slumped. "She's right," he muttered. "If Dad had known, he wouldn't have left Goten alone with her as much as he did. And I never thought about it because she stopped hitting me. After that day that you spoke to her, she never put her hands on me again. I just, you know, assumed the same went for Goten."

"As did I," Piccolo said, watching his wife as she knelt next to Paige, pulling both of their daughters into a warm hug. He wanted nothing more than to do the same, to hold his children and know that they were safe, and to know that their mother would never raise a hand to them. "We should have gone to Goku a long time ago," Piccolo muttered. "We could have stopped this."

Gohan groaned, covering his face. He looked at Dende, "What do I do?"

Dende pressed his lips together as he thought, moving over the short distance to the edge of the Lookout and gazed down at the world below. What to do indeed. "Tell your father what happened." He looked over his shoulder at his brother and one of his best friends, "He will be hurt that you didn't tell him. Perhaps even angry to some extent, but if you explain yourselves, he should understand in time. It is time to look at the bigger picture. Anything we can do to save Goten from ever being hurt by that woman again is more important."

Gohan felt like he could just curl up and cry. That wasn't the answer he was wanting, even if he knew it was the right thing to do. Oh, he was heartsick about this whole thing already. But Dende was right. They were the adults who'd let this happen and now Goten was suffering for their mistake. "Okay," Gohan finally said. "I... I guess now is as good a time as any." He took a shaking breath and ran a trembling hand through his hair. "Man, I really don't want to do this."

Piccolo fixed Gohan with an intense gaze. "Tell Goku if he feels the need to talk to me, he knows where to find me."

Gohan gave a nod, steeling his nerve. "Thanks you guys. I hope Dad doesn't get too upset with me." He gave a wave as he took to the sky, heading towards Tien's cabin.

* * *

Even though it took a long time to reach the cabin, Gohan still hadn't quite figured out how to approach his dad about this. He landed outside the cabin, taking a deep, comforting breath. Ever since the girls had blessed the cabin, it always seemed so peaceful to him. "Dad?" he called out, feeling his father's energy nearby.

It took Goku a moment, he heard his son, felt his energy approaching. He stood up straight from the carpentry work he was doing with Tien, helping to build a bed for Goten. He brushed the sawdust from his hands; he had thrown himself into the work, trying to keep his mind off of his youngest son. His heart still broken from finding out only yesterday what a monster Chichi had been. The horrifying marks on Goten's face, back, arms, and legs. It made him shudder. He walked to the front of the cabin, seeing his son standing there. He tried to put on a smile for him, but he couldn't. Not that day, "Hey Gohan. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, I guess... not really... I dunno..." Gohan stammered. He chewed on the inside corner of his mouth, trying to figure out how to say this to his dad. He took a deep breath and looked up at his father again. He looked so stressed out and tired as it was, Gohan didn't want to make this any worse for him. "You remember the other day when you asked me if Mom had ever hit me? I... I lied." Gohan swallowed harshly, his eyes pleading with his dad to listen, to hear him out. "I lied because I didn't want to see you any more upset than you already are."

The words took a moment to sink in, but when they did, it felt like a swift punch to the gut. The very air stolen from Goku's lungs. "Wh-what?" He felt like he was being crushed under some unforeseen weight. How long had Chichi been abusing their children? How stupid could he have been to not see it at all? Gods, how his children must hate him. He felt tears gathering in his eyes and his chest constricted as he looked Gohan in the eyes. He raised his hands and dragged them through his hair, tugging at the roots. "Gohan… why... how long..." He couldn't bring himself to say it._ 'How long did she beat you? How long before she stopped?'_ "Gohan! Didn't you trust me to take care of things?! Couldn't you have told me!? AM I THAT INCOMPETENT?!"

Gohan had to scrub at his eye with the heel of his hand to stop the tears he felt. It was a rare thing for his dad to shout at him and it always shook him to the core; it took a lot to get Goku that worked up. "It only happened once!" Gohan cried. He stepped closer and grabbed his dad by the arms, "You're not incompetent! It only happened once and Piccolo put a stop to it. We never spoke about it again. Of course I trust you! But it was taken care of before I had a chance to come to you about it." Gohan's throat felt like it was closing up, his vision was becoming blurry from the unshed tears that stung his eyes.

Goku squeezed his eyes shut, feeling the tears slipping down his cheeks. "Once is more than enough reason to come to me. It should NEVER happen! Why didn't Piccolo tell me?! Did Chichi make you promise not to tell?! What was it!?" He shook his head, pushing away from Gohan, and stepped back. "I know you were trying to protect me, Gohan. But you were being hurt! You needed to say something to me!" He turned away, feeling sick to his stomach.

"Piccolo made her promise to never hit me again," Gohan answered, shrinking back, sliding his hands into his pockets. "He said that he wouldn't tell you about it as long as she kept her promise. He... he was trying to protect me." He drew a shaking breath, whispering, "Dad, I'm sorry. The only reason I'm telling you now is because Dende and Jenny thought it might help your case."

Goku was hurt. He knew Gohan wasn't trying to hurt him, but damn. "If you guys had told me..." He paused. What would he have done? He would have left Chichi right then and there? If he had, Goten wouldn't even exist right now. He sighed, pained, "I forgive you. I just… I wish I didn't feel so useless."

"Dammit, Dad, you're not useless," Gohan sighed. "This isn't your fault! Don't you understand that? THIS IS MOM'S FAULT! That's why I'm telling you this! I would NEVER have bought it up unless I thought it would help keep Goten away from Mom!"

Sabriena and Tien had crept around the corner of the cabin when they heard the raised voices. They hung back, Sabriena looking nervous and Tien looking ready to jump in the middle if need be.

"And you should know, Mom got the idea for the senzu beans from Piccolo. He gave one to me to heal me. I wasn't even going to tell Piccolo, but he figured it out when we were sparring that day, back when we were getting ready to face the Androids. We never told you because, well, I guess we thought Mom was still keeping her end of the deal. She never hit me again. I guess she figured I'd tell Piccolo or you. But Goten..." Gohan sighed and shook his head. "I should have told you. Hell, I should have kept a closer eye on her. If anyone's to blame, it's me."

Goku turned around, grasping Gohan's shoulders, "No. No, son. If I'm not to blame, then it isn't your fault either. That's what she would want you to think. It's always someone else's fault." His lip quivered as he thought again of Goten's injuries. "I just wish I had seen it sooner. Goten is the one who's hurting because of this." He swallowed hard; his legs felt like jelly and he let go of Gohan in favor of sitting on the ground. "Tell the caseworker. Maybe it will help." Stupid… He felt so stupid and blind...

Gohan sat down next to his dad and frowned sadly. "I know. And I understand how you feel when you say you feel useless. I just don't understand why Mom is the way she is." He shook his head. "I don't know if telling the caseworker will help or not. I don't know about you, but I didn't like them very much. They seemed so cold about everything, like it was just a job to them or something. I hate to think about them having to come out here and invade your privacy. That just doesn't seem right to me. You didn't do anything." Gohan couldn't stop the tears that leaked from his eyes and he bowed his head, trying to hide them from his dad. "Piccolo said if you wanted to talk to him, he's at the Lookout. I dunno if you want to go or not. He might be able to explain everything better. I was just a kid then. And, well, he's calmer than I am, too."

Goku shook his head, "No. I'm just so tired right now. I don't think I could listen to anything anyone else has to say. I'm barely holding it together as is. I mean, your brother… he's so little and he's out there alone with strange people in a strange home and I can't even touch him let alone see him." He hugged himself tightly, wanting nothing more than to hold his boy again, nuzzle into that soft hair and just go to sleep, safe and sound. "Its not fair," he whispered.

Gohan threw an arm around Goku's shoulders and pulled his father tight against his chest, trying not to cry any harder than he already was. "I know," he sniffled. "I was really hoping they'd let me take him. I just hope he's okay, ya know? He's a brave little guy." But even as he said it, Gohan couldn't help but imagine his brother in an unknown house, surrounded by strangers, wondering what he'd done to be taken away from the only family he'd ever known. A soft sob escaped Gohan's lips and he leaned his forehead into his dad's hair, trying to comfort his father while seeking the same comfort for himself. "We'll get him back. I promise, Dad. No matter what we have to do. Mom will never lay a hand on him again. I swear it."

* * *

**Nancy103: **Question though...I am a little confused at the ages of Catie, Trunks and Goten. Goten seems much younger than Trunks. Can you please clarify their ages? Thanks!

**LadyRavenhawk: **Sorry for the confusion! Trunks is about 22, Catie is about 20 at this point in the story. When I say "Trunks" I'm referring to FUTURE Trunks who chose to come back and live in this timeline after Future Bulma died in an accident. When I say "Little Trunks" I'm referring to his present-time self. Little Trunks is about 8 in this story and Goten is about 7. We made the age gap between Gohan and Goten slightly bigger than in the canon, as Gohan is about 21 in this story. I hope this helps. Clear as mud now, right? *grin* If it still doesn't make sense, let me know and I will try to explain better.

And as always, thanks to all our lovely reviewers! **Amkula, dbzfangirl1, GreenSaiyan, ****Nancy103, **ya'll are fantastic! Sorry we made you cry, but at the same time, I'm kinda not. It means a lot to me to know that my story actually evokes such an emotional response from you guys. (Sometimes we cry when we write it, too. Shhhhh!)


	11. Rose

Goku felt numb after Gohan left, insisting he wanted to fly home on his own. He looked down at the dirt between his legs where he had sat down on the ground, reaching out and tracing a nonsensical pattern into the earth before grabbing a dirt clod between his fingers and crushed it to dust. He felt so stupid. How long had Chichi been doing this and laughing at him behind his back? He thought back to every time he left the house when Goten would come running after him, wanting, begging to go with him?

Sabriena and Tien exchanged a look, taking hold of each other's hands and went to Goku, sitting on either side of him. Sabriena felt like there was a huge knot in her throat. She'd never liked Piccolo to begin with and now she felt validated in that decision. "That wasn't right of them," she said softly to Goku. "They shouldn't have kept a secret from you all these years."

"Shh!" Tien scolded her sharply. Now was not the time to talk down on Gohan or Piccolo. He put a hand on Goku's back, leaning slightly closer to his husband. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked kindly, concern on his face as he tried to catch Goku's eyes.

Goku shook his head as he still gazed down at the ground before he pulled his knees up to his chest, "No. I know why they did it. I probably would have found some way to screw it up and might have lost Gohan completely. Maybe it was better that I didn't know. Goten wouldn't have been born if they told me. I just, I can't believe she's been doing this all this time. I wonder how young Goten was when she first..." He closed his eyes and lowered his head to rest in his arms on his knees. He couldn't think about it. He wanted to grab Chichi and shake her shoulders until she told him why and when. When was the first time was she laid a hand on his poor boys? Goten, had he even been out of the crib before she first hurt him?

Sabriena leaned in to Goku, sliding her arm tightly around his waist. "I'm sorry, baby," she said softly. Tears burned her eyes as she thought about Goten, sweet innocent little Goten. She wanted nothing more than to go grab him from that foster home and bring him out to the cabin to live with them. "He's okay," she promised, "He knows his daddy saved him. He loves you, Goku."

Tien swallowed harshly, bowing his head to rest on Goku's other shoulder, his arm still across the Saiyan's back. He rubbed his hand up and down Goku's spine, wishing he had powers like Dende to soothe a broken heart, to ease a person's emotions. "You can't think about that now," he said quietly. "All that matters now is that she can't hurt him anymore. We all love you. Me and Sabriena, your kids, your grandson, your friends. We all know how much you give and what you do. And we love you for that."

Goku nodded, trying to take some solace from his mates, "Thanks. I don't think I can get through this without you." He sighed, his heart was still aching, broken to know that one of his best friends had lied to him. Piccolo was usually one of the first to tell him of Chichi's faults and when it counted the most, the Namek had let him down.

Tien moved to lay back in the soft grass, the warm summer sun shining hotly overhead. He tugged Goku to lay at his side, pulling Goku's head to rest over his heart. "Shhhhh," he soothed, lightly running his fingers through Goku's hair. "You've had a rough couple days. You just lay here and rest with us."

Sabriena curled up against Goku's back, wrapping her arm around his waist. She pressed her face into his hair, just behind his ear. "I know you," she crooned softly. "Now you stop thinking like that. Your kids think you're the best dad in the world. And it's true. You're so good with Goten. And Gohan loves you. Everything's going to be okay. I'll make it right somehow. Anything you want, you just ask, baby. Okay?"

Goku blinked away his tears, a few falling down to soak Tien's shirt. He curled in on himself. He nodded in response to Sabriena, slipping his arm on top of hers around his waist. "I love you guys," he said, the sadness unmistakable in his voice.

It broke their hearts to hear him like that and know there was nothing they could do to fix it for him. Tien squeezed him tighter. It wasn't doing him any good to hold it in, fighting his tears like this. "Cry," he said simply. "Go ahead and cry, Goku. Let it out. We've got you." He wished so badly that he could shelter his lovers from this sort of pain. He'd much rather be facing another war or another fight with a dragon than to ever have to see them go through this sort of emotional trauma It wasn't right. Goku didn't deserve this and his son for damn sure didn't deserve to endure such abuse. He knew that Goku loved his sons, but in that moment Tien wished that Goku had never met Chichi.

Goku felt the tears slip down his cheeks as he cried, his body shuddered with his gasps, "I want to go to him. Maybe if I could explain it to him, I'd feel better. Gods, I'm so sick of being taken advantage of. Just when I thought I was free from her, I find out all of this. Maybe I should ask Goten what he wants or if he would even understand it." He just felt. He didn't know. He wanted to curl in on himself and ignore the world for as long as he could.

Tien held Goku tightly as he cried, his own heart aching for his husband. Sabriena curled tighter against Goku's back, squeezing his waist, silent tears sliding from her eyes as she listened to him. "Maybe the caseworker will let you see him," Tien said softly. "Maybe you can talk to him. Even if he doesn't understand now, he will one day." He pressed a kiss to the top of Goku's head, rubbing at his shoulder, trying to comfort him the best way he knew how. "We'll get him back. I'll do anything you think needs to be done. I'm sorry I got upset yesterday. I know you did the right thing."

Goku nodded, but moved to sit up and shook off his mates gently before he stood up. He wiped at his eyes quickly before he turned and headed down towards the river, lifting up into the air and flying towards the top of the waterfall. He moved to sit on a rock that jutted out of the water at the top, surrounded by the roar of the water. He looked up at the sky a moment before let his head drop into his hands and stared down at the water pounding into the river below.

* * *

Tien couldn't help but be rather amused at how busy his little cabin had become. They had started work on a barn with plans to get more livestock, namely a dairy cow. He didn't much care for having more animals, they meant a lot more work around the place, but he agreed with Sabriena that they could end up being beneficial in the long run. He just hoped the caseworker would see it the same way.

He didn't remember having this many chickens before, either, and he suspected Sabriena had purchased some from one of the farms near the village where they did their trading. He snickered to himself as he remembered a conversation with her about it just the previous day.

"Sabriena," he'd growled. "Where are all these chickens coming from?"

She'd batted her eyes innocently. "You're crazy, Tien. They just run all over the yard, you're just not keeping track."

They were currently working on a barn and corral for all the new additions to their little "farm." He nearly rolled his eyes, but if it made her happy and it helped Goku, then he wasn't going to complain. Next thing he knew, she'd be begging for ponies or something silly like that. And knowing her, she'd find a way to justify it, too.

Sabriena stepped back and wiped at her forehead with the back of her wrist. Digging post holes was not easy work, no matter how in shape you were. Tien was carefully measuring and sawing planks of wood for the rafters of the small barn, his shoulders and back turning a tanned red in the late morning sun. Goku straddled one of the rafters that had already been put in place, his feet kicking back and forth, hands on his hips as he waited for Tien to hand up the next bunch of wood. He wasn't much good at measuring and figuring out the pieces like Tien was (too much math for Goku's taste) but he could drive a nail in easily and in the proper place when Tien told him to.

"You look so sexy up there, sittin' there with no shirt on. You tryin' to torment me down here?" Sabriena teased, shielding her eyes with her hand as she looked up at him. Gods, he did look good up there with the sunlight dancing off his carved muscles, his skin the most delicious golden tan she'd ever seen.

Goku glanced down at her and winked, "Really, you're the one who is testing me!" He wasn't lying, he had a very nice view of her breasts from where he sitting.

Sabriena followed his gaze and grinned. "You know the best part about being a girl?" she asked. He shook his head. "Being able to play with boobs whenever I want!" she laughed and grabbed her chest, pushing them up and squeezing them for a second. The look on his face was priceless and Tien's saw slipped and clattered to the ground. She clapped her hands and threw her head back, laughing.

Goku's jaw dropped open and he nearly fell off of his perch, leaving him floundering a little bit as he watch her. "You keep that up and we'll never get the project finished before winter!"

"Oh you'll get it done," she answered, turning away from them and leaning far over in her cutoff shorts. "Cause you're not getting any until it's finished."

Tien swallowed as he looked at her. "Goku, man, we gotta work faster."

Sabriena slammed the wooden post into the hole and straightened up, pushing against her lower back. She grabbed her shovel and started packing the dirt in around the post when something caught her eye.

A white hovercar was landing near the cabin. Sabriena's heart stopped. "Oh shit," she muttered.

"Language, Sabriena!" Tien snapped. She'd been slipping a lot lately. She pointed at the car and Tien's eyes went wide.

"Oh shit," he breathed.

They all watched as a young woman got out of the car, a clipboard clutched in one arm. She was tall and slender, wearing a black dress suit with perfectly ironed straight leg pants, a short-sleeved jacket and glossy high heels. She had strawberry blonde hair that fell to her shoulders in big, loose, but perfectly set, waves. "Hello!" she called, giving a wave with her free hand. "I'm looking for a Mr. Son Goku? I'm not sure if I'm at the right place."

Goku lifted up and hovered down to the ground, grabbing a towel off the ground and rubbed his face trying to hide his nervousness, he wiped his hands off and gave the woman a smile and a wave back, "I'm Goku, you must be the caseworker?" He went over to shake her hand, "Hehe, you caught us in the middle of yard work." He looked her over, she had a kind look to her and she was younger than he thought. He was half expecting another heavyset woman with a scowl on her face. "Have you seen Goten at all? Do you know how he's doing?"

She smiled as she shook his hand, a light in her bright blue eyes. Her mouth seemed just a bit too wide for her pretty face and in her heels she was every bit as tall as Goku. "Hi, Mr. Son. My name's Rose. I did see Goten, he's doing just fine. He's with a very nice family."

Goku breathed a sigh of relief, letting his shoulders sag, "Thank the gods for that. Really,thank you. I've been worried sick about him." He smiled at her and waved Tien and Sabriena over, "Ah, Rose. This is my wife Sabriena and my husband Tien." He scratched the back of his head, " If we'd known when you would have been out, we would have cleaned ourselves up a bit!"

She blinked widely as they approached. "You have a polygamous relationship?" she asked.

Tien stepped up to Goku's side, drawing himself up to his full height, squaring his shoulders and crossing his arms across his bare chest as he stared down his nose at her.

"It's... uh... it's a pleasure to meet you both," she said, shaking Sabriena's hand and offering her hand to Tien, who watched her for a moment before he finally shook it.

Goku nodded, mentally smacking himself. Gohan was right, he was terrible at breaking news to people, "Yeah," He blushed, not sure if that was too weird for some people, but it was best not to keep anything from her. Still there was something about her that made him feel as though he could trust her. A gentle feeling that told him that she was the right person for this job, "So! Where do we start with this?"

"Well, it's my job to decide what is the best living situation for your son. I'll be visiting with you and your significant others from time to time. I'll bring Goten out, spend the day with you and see how everyone interacts. I'll be doing the same with his mother. Once the investigation is done, I'll make my recommendations to the judge who will make the ultimate decision about guardianship of Goten." There was a pull at her jacket and Rose jumped with a cry of surprise and spun around, stumbling backwards from the goat who had chosen that moment to chew on the caseworker's fancy suit.

Goku slapped a hand to his face, he had brightened up the moment the caseworker had said she would be bringing Goten out to spend a day watching them interact. And then Sabriena's goat got hungry. He laughed and bent down to catch the goat, "Sorry about that, she eats like it's her last day on earth, anything and everything! At least Zip hasn't mistaken you for a meal yet!" He glanced around the sky to see if his falcon had come back yet, but he was still out hunting for his own food. He looked at her nervously, not sure what else to do, "You tell us what you need and we will make it happen. Are you going to stay for dinner?"

"Uh, what? Dinner?" she blinked at him, confusion on her face. "Oh, no. I packed a lunch. And I'll be out of your hair before evening. You keep a goat? Is... is it a nice goat?" she asked, peering at the large brown and white creature with its big, floppy ears. "Who is Zip?" She wasn't sure she wanted to meet whatever animal might decide to "make a meal" out of her.

Goku chuckled, "Well, I'm still training him to listen for command, I can see if he will come back." He leaned over to the ground and picked up the heavy leather glove on the ground and slipped it on his hand. He let out a shrill, high pitched whistle into the air and waited for a moment before he frowned, "Ah… like I said. Still training him. Zip's my little falcon I rescued after a big storm. He's gonna help us hunt things like ducks, and anything else that's tasty!" He pulled his glove off and tossed it back on the ground, "You like animals?"

"I've never really been around them much before," Rose admitted nervously as she eyed the goat who leaned against Goku's leg. "Are they safe to be around? I don't know that I've actually seen a goat in person before."

Goku looked over at Sabriena and back down at the goat, scratching behind her ears, "Oh yeah, she just likes to eat random clothing. Sorry about that!" He smiled at her, and offered her a hand, "You want to say hello?"

"Um, o-okay," she said and let him take her hand. She hadn't been expecting this when she came out here. There was a brief mention in her notes that they lived in the middle of nowhere and had no utilities, but she hadn't expected to land in the middle of a petting zoo. "Hello," she said cautiously as her fingertips barely brushed the goat's neck.

Goku smiled and stood up, "She likes you! I wish all the animals would get along. Most of them do, but we have a mean rooster, best to stay clear of him. We have a switch to keep him in line when he tries to spur Sabriena. We are getting a cow here pretty soon too!"

Rose retracted her hand at the mention of the switch. She stood up straight and thumbed through the papers on her clipboard.

Tien clapped a hand to his face and turned away, heading back to work on the barn. This was a waste of time. With Goku's mouth, Chichi would have custody of Goten again by sunset.

Sabriena stepped forward under the pretense of taking Sibby from Goku, "Watch what you say!" she hissed in his ear. She drug the goat by the collar, "Come on, fat girl."

Rose seemed ruffled and she smoothed her jacket down. "A switch, you say? Where is it?"

Goku nodded and then paled as he realized what he said and he slapped his face, but he stood up anyway and walked towards the chicken coop, "This way, but it's only for the chicken. Sabriena's been chased and peck at and clawed by him so many times, we have to have something. We would never harm Goten with it. Never. It was how we figured out something was wrong. Sabriena had picked up the switch when she was showing Goten the nesting boxes and said he flinched from her.

Rose took the switch from him and inspected it. This was wider than the marks she'd observed on Goten and it had knots in the wood, which didn't seem to match up with the marks. Still, she had found no such item in Mrs. Son's house at all and it was more than a little coincidental that this was here. She felt that knot building in her throat as she looked at it. How could anyone hit a child with something like that? She looked at the man next to her. He had massively broad shoulders and more muscles than she'd ever seen on a person. Well, save for his husband whom she'd just met. His hulking size told her that if he'd hit his son in anger, surely the boy would have ended up in the hospital with far worse injuries, but still. She pressed her big lips together and handed the switch back to Goku. "You realize this looks more than a little coincidental?"

He nodded and looked sad, "I didn't even think about it's just for the chickens. Why would I hide it from you because of that? I didn't hit my son with it. It makes me so sick to think that she." He stopped, he wasn't sure accusing chichi would help,"Whoever hit him, it makes me sick to my stomach." He looked up at her and straight into her eyes. He liked the light he saw in them, she was a kind soul and he smiled at that, "I know you just want to make sure he is safe. I want him safe too and if having this switch here isn't good for him, then I'll listen. But it's just for the rooster. Though, I suppose Sabriena could throw a shoe at him," he said thoughtfully. He wondered then if he should mention Gohan's house.

She stared hard at him, the concern in his eyes, the softness in voice as he spoke about his son. It was against everything she'd been taught, but she believed him for some reason. She grabbed her pen and started making notes on her paper. "I have to include it in my report that I found it here, Mr. Son." She could see the disappointed look on his face as she said it. "That doesn't mean I believe you are the one who hit him. Really, I won't be able to determine much about your relationship until I see you with Goten. Today, I'm just supposed to look around, make sure your home appears safe and clean, that you have enough food and space for him. That sort of thing."

Goku nodded, his goofy smile coming back and he stood up. Mentally making a note that he would have to really thank Sabriena and Tien later for their help. Maybe a massage, among other things. His nervousness fell away and he looked around, "Alright then, what would you like to see next?"

"Could we look inside your home?" she asked. He nodded and they started to walk towards the cabin. She eyed the chickens and wondered which one was the rooster? She didn't like the sounds of him much. Rose had never really been around animals before. This whole place was strange to her. The lack of a road, the openness of this place. But there was an odd sense of safety around her that she couldn't understand. "So, the report says you have no running water or electricity? How do you prepare meals?"

Goku led the way to the cabin, and pushed the door open for her, "Sabriena does most of the cooking. She went to college for it so its all really good. We cook in the fireplace or outside in the fire pit when its warm enough. She makes all kinds of things! Thanks to the chickens she can make pasta and heck we made pizza the other night when Goten was here. She was tossing the dough up in the air, twirling it around! It was really something! And Goten really got into it too. I've never seen him so passionate about helping Sabriena cook! You'll have to have lunch with us when you bring Goten out. Maybe we can get some matsutake mushrooms for then!"

She couldn't help the tiny smile that pulled at her lips. This man was something else. Incredibly enthusiastic, friendly, but a bit simple. Everyone knew those mushrooms only grew in the fall. She stepped into the cabin, unsure of what to expect. She was impressed with the cleanliness of it and with the simplistic warmth that seemed to radiate there. Her heels clicked on the hardwood floor as she walked, hugging the clipboard to her chest, peering around at their home. The polished furniture, the massive stone fireplace, the cast iron skillets hanging on the wall. It was so rustic and old fashioned. "I didn't know people lived like this," she said with the tiniest bit of wonder in her voice.

Her eyes fell on the shelves to the left side of the cabin and she walked closer to inspect them. Jars of dried herbs and spices lined the wall, there was a small work-counter there with tin plates and cups sitting on it. She pushed her glasses up on her nose as she looked at each labeled herb in turn. Seeing nothing that set off any red flags, she turned and looked at the beds. There was the big bed beneath the window and a few feet from the foot of this bed was a smaller one, pushed up against the wall there. "So Goten doesn't have his own room? This is the only room in the house?"

Goku nodded, "To be honest with you, before Sabriena and I came to live out here it was just Tien. Since she and I moved in he's made a lot of changes just for us. He built these new chairs and when we found out about Goten, we built the bed together so he could have his own place to sleep. Tien said if we built an additional room it would be too cold during the winter for him." Goku lost himself in thought, knowing that if Goten came to live with them, they would have to limit sleeping together. They couldn't do that in front of him, "They really are sacrificing a lot to help me make sure my son is safe." He said wistfully.

"Well, I have to admit your relationship is a bit unorthodox, but there's nothing in our policies about relationship status, unless one of your partners was hurting Goten. You said he flinched when your wife - Sabriena? - picked up the switch. You don't suppose she could have been the one to hurt him?" Rose asked as she wrote more notes to herself. She personally didn't care what sort of romantic relationship this man had with anyone else, as long as his son wasn't in any danger from them. And while his husband was an intimidating man, that didn't mean he was necessarily violent.

Goku shook his head, "No, it wasn't her. He also did it again when he accidentally dropped a glass mixing bowl and it broke." Gokus face twisted in sadness and anger, "He was so scared, so afraid we were going to beat him for it. When we asked him why on earth he thought we were going to, he just looked down and said he couldn't say."

Rose nodded and continued to write.

Sabriena came in the cabin, carrying a bucket of water with her. She gave Rose a sweeping look and made her way to the fireplace. She built up the wood and started working on getting a fire going. She couldn't help but to look down at her dirty cut-offs and worn out sneakers. She frowned as she realized she must have looked rather frumpy compared to the pretty, sleek caseworker who stood in her cabin.

Rose stopped what she was doing and stepped closer, watching with interest. This was new to her, too.

Sabriena paid her no attention and nursed the flames until a fire was burning brightly. "Honey, what sounds good for lunch? I'll make anything you want."

Goku's stomach growled loudly and he laughed, "You know me, I'll eat anything I can get. Tien and I trapped a couple of rabbits this morning! Nice plump little guys. Tien even showed me how to skin and clean them! The meat's in the cellar, you want me to get it for you?" He licked his lips at the thought of whatever she would cook. He hadn't had a bad meal from her yet. Not that he considered many things as a bad meal.

"Would you?" she asked kindly, "and grab some broccoli from the garden while you're out there?" She smiled when he nodded and headed out the door.

"So how long have you lived out here?" Rose asked.

"Little over a year," Sabriena answered, placing a grate in the fireplace and grabbing a big skillet.

"I must say, I've never met anyone who lives quite like you and your husband. Husbands?" Rose corrected herself, unsure of how to address them yet.

"Husbands," Sabriena confirmed, "And yeah, most people can't hack it out here." She mentally slapped herself for being harsh. She wanted Goten back as much as Goku did. Being rude to this woman was not going to help their case. Truth be told, Sabriena was feeling a bit insecure. Rose's beauty was stunning and here Sabriena was, sweaty and dirty from digging postholes, wearing an old tank top, cutoff shorts and sneakers.

"How do you think Goten would handle living in such a rustic environment?" Rose asked.

Sabriena closed her eyes, trying to keep her patience. "Well, he certainly seemed to have a blast the last time he stayed over. He was fascinated with the animals. And he loves to cook with me." She sighed and turned to cross the cabin and gather the spices from the rack and some potatoes from a basket sitting nearby. "I miss Goten."

Rose tipped her head to the side. "You love your stepson?"

Sabriena pressed her lips firmly together, but gave a sharp nod.

"Have you ever seen your husband be aggressive towards Goten?"

Sabriena narrowed her eyes. "NEVER," she growled as Goku re entered the cabin.

Goku lifted an eye at Sabriena, "You okay?" He walked over to her and handed her a basket with the broccoli and a separate one with the rabbits piled in it. He rubbed her back as soon as his hand was free. He could feel her frustration and he looked over Rose and gave her an apologetic smile, "Sorry about that. We're all a bit on edge after everything that's happened."

Sabriena tossed a cutting board on the table with a clatter, slapped a rabbit on it, and began to butcher it into quarters. "It's all Chichi's fault," she muttered. She was trying very hard to hold her temper in front of this woman, but everything was wearing on her. The hard work, the lack of sleep. Seeing this woman here made it all very real to her and she was painfully aware of how rough they all looked, of how the yard appeared with all the boards and tools and half-built barn. It all felt very hopeless to her in that moment.

"I understand," Rose said kindly to Goku. "It's very stressful for everyone involved." Her nose wrinkled slightly at the sight of the raw rabbit and her stomach churned when Sabriena grabbed it and twisted, the crunching sound of the spine made Rose gag. "Excuse me," she said hurriedly and ran out the front door.

"The hell got into her?" Sabriena asked.

Goku chuckled as he looked after her, "You were kind of taking it out on the rabbit. Not everyone loves the sound of bones popping out of place." He turned back to her and lifted her face with his hand, pressing the softest kiss he could on her lips, "Thank you for all that you are doing, have done, will do. Thanks for kicking my butt into shape about this. The house looks amazing. You and Tien are amazing. I couldn't have done this without you two." He took a moment and tucked her into his arms, wrapping his arms around her and resting his chin on her head, "How about I give you and Tien massages tonight? I think you've earned it," he muttered.

She closed her eyes and leaned against his chest, listening to his heart for a moment. "That sounds like heaven," she murmured. She looked up at him, resting her chin on his chest. "I'm sorry. I'm just really stressed out." She pushed gently away from him and turned back to the rabbits. "You go on and deal with her. I'll holler at you when lunch is ready."

She pressed her lips to a thin line, looking sadly down at her hands as she worked. Why did that woman make her feel so insecure? Her jaw clenched and she gave her head the tiniest of shakes as she broke another rabbit spine, the twisting crunch more satisfying to her ears than it should have been.

Goku stepped outside, spotting Rose catching her breath outside by the fire pit. He walked over to her seeing her pale face and he chuckled, "Not your thing I take it. Sorry about that, just. Well, Sabriena's taken Goten's absence pretty hard. She just wants him safe too." He looked her shaken look, "Would you like some water? Might help settle that stomach."

Rose nodded, afraid to open her mouth. She'd never witnessed something so gross in her life. She gratefully accepted the water from him when he offered it. "I'm sorry," she gasped. "That was brutal." She took another gulp of water. "You're really going to eat that?"

Goku blinked at her wide eyed and innocent, "Well of course. Not raw, Sabriena's going to make something really tasty out of them. Are you vegetarian? I'm sorry I forgot to ask! If not, you'll have to have a small taste to see what I mean. She makes pasta that melts in your mouth and she grilled up some deer steaks the other night that were so tender." His stomach growled at him and he chuckled, "I'd better stop that. What else can I show you?"

Rose pressed her full lips tightly together again and nodded. "Vegetarian," she answered, her voice still slightly strained. She drew a calming breath and straightened up. "Perhaps we could look at the... uh... what is that he's building over there?" The smell of braised rabbit was starting to drift out of the cabin and she didn't much care for it. Rose's friend often teased her that she was a food snob, but really Rose just didn't like anything that had to do with eating another living creature.

Goku walked with her over to the small barn they were building, "Sorry about the meat thing. I'll make sure she cooks something vegetarian for you when you bring Goten over." He looked over where Tien was working, his back was glistening in the sunlight as he worked, measuring out the rafters for the roof. Goku saw the posts holes over to the side, "Watch where you step. When you showed up, we were all working on this. Its a barn for the cow we are getting. Sabriena's really excited about that. We were hoping to have it finished before you got here." He laughed warmly, "The yard is kind of a mess with all of this stuff around!"

"Yes it is," Rose remarked. She was feeling rather sour after watching his wife man-handle those poor rabbits. "Rather hazardous, isn't it?" she asked, stepping around a pile of lumber.

Tien straightened up and turned to look at her. "Only if you don't know what you're doing."

Rose couldn't help but feel intimidated by this man. He was huge and carried himself with a strong confidence that gave her chills. He had a handsome face, but that third eye was unnerving. He walked towards them and Rose took and unconscious step back, her heel slipped over the edge of a post hole and she fell hard on the ground, her right leg wedged into the hole.

Goku's eyes went wide and he moved behind her to catch her before she hit the ground, but he winced at her cry of pain and looked to her ankle where it was stuck in the ground. It was bent at an unnatural angle. "Careful… easy. I got you. Tien can you get her foot out of there? If I set her down, it'll only twist worse."

Tien rushed over and gingerly pulled her leg from the hole. He felt as if he'd swallowed a block of ice. He didn't know much about legal systems or caseworkers, but when someone comes out to inspect your home for safety and they end up injured? This couldn't be good. "Let's get her over to the steps, Goku," Tien suggested.

"No," she gasped. "I can't stand the smell."

Goku looked over at Tien, "She's vegetarian." He shook his head and looked around, "We need to get something cold on her ankle and then elevate it." His mind went to the cold mountain spring that fed the waterfall. That would be cold enough. Then they could elevate her foot with a stump or something and wrap her foot up with some bandages. "You have any pain relieving salve and some bandages? I'll take her to the spring, get the cold water on the joint. That should stop the swelling some. Meet us up there?"

"Yeah, I got something that will numb it," Tien answered, gently lowering her feet to the ground, where she attempted to stand on her left leg. She wobbled on her heel and had to grab onto Goku's arm to keep her balance. "Ow," she whined softly. This was NOT how she had wanted to spend her day.

Tien headed into the cabin, inhaling deeply as he walked to the shelves. "Smells good, girl." A sudden thought struck him. "Hey, can you give us a hand? That worker twisted her ankle up real bad. Think you could heal her?"

Sabriena went to the window and looked out at Rose clinging to Goku's arm. "No, not feeling it today," she said simply and went back to the fireplace.

"What?" Tien growled, "Oh, come on. What's gotten into you?"

Sabriena wanted to say she didn't like that woman hanging on her husband's arm like that, but thought better of it. "Don't you think we'd do more damage than good if we showed off our powers?"

Tien thought about it for a moment. "Yeah, you're probably right." He grabbed the salve and a roll of bandages and headed back outside.

"Don't take long, lunch is almost ready!" Sabriena called after him.

Goku steadied her, "Is it alright if I carry you to the water? Can't have you walking on that just yet." At her nod, he bent down and picked her up bridal style, being careful so as not to jostle her foot any more than he had to. He saw Tien coming out of the cabin with the supplies and he smiled at Rose, "You're not afraid of flying are you?" He gently lifted up into the air and headed over to the top of the waterfall, back to the spring that was there. The deep blue of the water already had a change in the temperature of the air. The little grove was almost secluded from the rest of the world.

Rose gasped as he so easily lifted her against his chest and she threw her arms around his neck. She felt her face blush at the feel of his strong muscles. Oh goodness. But when he lifted into the air, she felt her heart stop. She wanted to scream at him to put her down, she was terrified of heights, but her voice caught in her throat and she couldn't make a sound.

Tien shook his head. So much for not showing off their powers. He quickly flew up and landed next to them. There was a large, flat rock that overhung the edge of the spring. "Set her here, Goku," Tien said and kicked off his boots before waded out into the water.

Rose was looking more and more disheveled with every passing moment. She looked very frightened as she clung to Goku's neck. "What... What just happened?" she stammered in shock. He had lifted into the air, but how? She blinked her wide blue eyes, looking very frightened.

Goku blinked at her, "We flew?" He laughed, his smile growing, "First time flyer huh? Sorry about that! I should have warned you. It's part of the training we do out here." He moved to set her down on the edge of the rock. "Let's get your shoes off. They look nice, probably don't do too well wet?" He reached down, still holding onto her, steadying her as he slipped her shoe off the injured foot and took off the other one before he eased the twisted ankle into the water. "There you go. How does that feel?" He set the shoes aside behind them on the rock. Her ankle was already starting to swell and he winced, "Ouch. Hang in there. You're doing great."

Rose felt like her head was spinning. People didn't just fly like that. And Tien was now standing at her foot, staring down at it.

His eyes flickered up at her. "You can stop looking at me like that," he stated, "I'm not going to hurt you."

Goku chuckled, "It's that third eye of yours. Plus you're not exactly… not intimidating." He smiled at Tien and reached out and gently gripped his shoulder, "She knows we're all on edge. Relax. You've done so much these past few days. Just relax." He looked back to Rose, "You could fly, too, if you wanted. It just takes some training." He gave her a goofy smile, "Might help the next time you come out here and we have post holes in the ground!" He patted her on the back, "I remember when Goten started flying."

"I must have hit my head," Rose muttered, trying to get to her feet, but Tien grabbed her shin and eased her foot back into the water. She shook her head, "This is so bizarre." Were these men playing tricks on her? There had to be a trick to it. But there were no wires, nothing for wires to attach to. "Goten can fly?"

Goku nodded, not getting that most of the world's populous didn't fly, "Yeah! Gohan taught him a few years ago. He's a natural at it." He smiled warmly thinking about Goten flying around in the yard that day, chanting that he was a bird. He chuckled at her, "This is a lot to take in, isn't it?" He watched her still kind of out of it. He reached down and dipped his hand in the cool water, carefully cupping it and bringing it to her lips, "Here have another drink. It will help you feel better. The water's not too cold on your ankle is it?"

She blinked uncertainly at him, but carefully sipped the water from his hand.

"Goku, she's going to have to sit here awhile," Tien said, gently touching Rose's ankle. "Sabriena's got lunch ready. She's gonna be mad if we're late. One of us should stay with her, at least. Or bring our lunch up here." Tien really didn't want to deal with Sabriena if they ruined lunch. He had enough on his mind without her being pissed off at the same time.

Goku smiled at Tien, "Go on and have lunch together. I'll sit with her. I'll eat when we get her patched up. I don't want to make her sick by eating in front of her." He was hungry, but if he could make her ankle better, then it was worth it. Though, Sabriena did cook what he had said he wanted. No. He had to make this right, "Tell her I'll make it up to her later, okay?" He reached out to take the salve and bandages from Tien.

"No, it's okay," Rose said. "She made you lunch. You can go ahead. Or bring it up here, like he said. I'll... I'll be okay."

Tien eyed her uncertainly, "You sure? You want something to eat?"

Rose shrugged. She wasn't feeling particularly hungry. This whole thing was turning out much different than she had anticipated. "I have a lunchbox in my car."

"I'll grab it for you," Tien offered and headed back down to the cabin.

Goku settled himself behind her, setting the supplies to the side, "Here. You can lean back on me if that's more comfortable." He peered over her shoulder and into the clear water, "How's it feeling?" He chuckled, "Bet you weren't expecting this when you came out here." He was a little sheepish, "Sorry about that. We don't normally have those holes in the yard. They'll be gone the next time you visit. That is if you think it'll be okay."

She leaned slightly forward, away from him. He was a little too friendly and while she found that endearing, it was rather unprofessional. "No, I certainly wasn't. Mr. Son, you have to admit, this is all really strange. Your relationship, the lack of electricity or running water or bathroom facilities. I... I've never been out of a city before and now here I am, in the middle of nowhere, being bitten by a goat, warned that there's a killer rooster running about, watching your wife rip animals apart by her bare hands, and then I nearly break my ankle and you FLY me up here to soak in a spring?!" Rose's voice was growing rather frantic as she spoke. She normally was a very calm, polite person, but she'd hit her breaking point.

Goku chuckled, "Sabriena was the same way when she first came out here. She was a real city girl, loved her cell phone, needed a tv on all the time, she loved noise. Cared only for herself. She was appalled when she learned Tien only had an outhouse for a bathroom. She was shocked that someone could live like this, too. Tien changed her into this wonderful caring woman. Though, I have to think that she was cooking rabbits before all that." He shook his head, "Yeah, we're rather different than most. I forget that most people aren't used to others flying around. The people I'm around the most all know how to fly. I just forget sometimes. Guess it takes a while to get used to it." He looked at her, "You not comfortable with all of this are you?"

Rose stared hard into the clear blue water. There was something about this man that she just couldn't figure out. There was an innocence in him, the way he spoke so openly and unguarded. She couldn't picture him hurting a fly, much less his own child. But everything about his situation was just so wrong. "No, I'm not," she said finally. She looked down at her ankle in the water. The coldness of the spring was making it go numb. He was so different than his ex. She had been very closed off with her answers and her body language had been forced. While her home seemed perfectly normal and tidy, there was a pronounced fakeness under it all that Rose didn't like either. But with Goku, he was an open book, even to the point of really incriminating himself, whether he was innocent or not. "To tell the truth, I don't know what to think of you or your ex-wife."

He sighed, looking up at the sky, "I hardly know what to think either." He got up and slipped into the water moving to her foot, gently taking it in his hands and gingerly feeling it. The swelling had gone down a little bit. He looked up at her, "They keep telling me I'm terrible at being subtle. I never learned to filter what I say. It's overwhelming to people, I know." He sighed, "I used to love her, even after she left me. She was the mother of my children, but after all this. I don't think I can stand the thought of her any more." He looked at her, carefully rotating her ankle gently to help loosen it up. He looked back towards the direction of the cabin. He had a question burning in his head, an idea Sabriena had given him, but he wasn't sure if he should ask Rose about it, "Can I ask you a question?"

The feel of his strong hands on her ankle sent a shiver up Rose's spine. It was as though she could feel a raw power within him that was so strong it could overwhelm, yet his touch was so gentle. She drew a breath through her nose, studying his face. "Yes," she said softly.

Goku felt nervous, Sabriena's warning to not seem so meek, so eager to see his son go to Gohan's, "I don't want you to misunderstand what I mean when I ask this. I love my son. I want nothing more than to have him come here to live with me and my family here. I would give anything for that, but I don't want to just think that's the only way." He looked at her, hoping she would understand, "He's my son and I dont want to leave anything to chance. If by some chance you decide that this home isn't right for him, is there a way or would it be possible for me to have custody of my boy and then have him live with my oldest 's brother?" He sighed, he was probably just making a bigger mess of things.

Rose was quiet for a moment as she thought about it. "Mr. Son, if your home is determined to not be suitable for Goten, the judge isn't going to award custody to you. However, it is our goal, MY goal, to keep your family together if at all possible. If Goten cannot go back to his mother, and if he cannot come here, there is the option of him staying with a relative. But only so long as THAT home is determined to be acceptable. Your oldest son would have to agree to a home study as well." She looked apologetic as she said it. All too often she had seen relatives deny their family and the children adopted out to new homes with people they barely knew. Little Goten had been so hopeful and full of life when she'd gone to see him, despite the hideous marks on his face and back. How could someone not love a boy like that? He'd be snatched up in the system faster than an eye could blink.

Goku nodded his understanding and was grateful that she understood as well, "Thank you." He smiled at her, "Gohan already told me that if it does come to that, he would be more than happy to do what it takes to give his little brother a good home" He sighed, feeling better. He felt tears welling up in his eyes and he took a moment to wipe them away and he gave a watery laugh, "Sorry. Im out of my element. I really didn't know what to expect. I half expected you to be like that older woman who came to capsule corp and had that stern grumpy look that would have put Tien to shame. "

"Stern, grumpy?" Rose paused and laughed. "You must mean Barb. You have to understand why she is the way she is. She's been working for CPS for a very, very long time. You have to consider all the children she's seen. We get calls every single day about children who are being abused and neglected, Mr. Son. Some of them are even worse than even your son. You'd look a little grumpy, too if you had to see that day in and day out." Her voice trailed off and her blue eyes went sad. "I've only worked here a couple years. It can wear on you. All those children... the babies..."

Goku's eyes snapped to hers, his eyes wide and then a slight anger behind them, "Babies?!" He hissed, he pinched the bridge of his nose and he shook his head, "Why would anyone hurt a baby? They are completely defenseless! They count on their parents to protect them, not hurt them!" He took a calming breath, his mind mulling over it a moment before he looked back up at Rose and offered a sad smile, "You save them, you and her and your co-workers. Doesn't that make it worth it? To know that at the end of your day you've saved, improved the life of that child?" He had a new growing respect for her. He was starting to understand what she was about. She was unbiased, fighting for those who couldn't, "You'll do whats best for my son, I can't ask for more than that." He moved her leg in the water, carefully lifting it up and out of the water, inspecting it, "This is going to be sore for a few days. You'll have to go home and keep it elevated. Cold compresses are the best for this kind of thing." He reached over and grabbed a bandage, using it to pat her foot dry so he could start applying the salve

"It's nice to hear that someone understands," she said with a small smile. "Most parents treat me like I'm some sort of monster that comes to steal their child away. I just can't stand to see any living thing hurt. That's why I don't eat meat," she finished sheepishly. "My friend gives me a hard time about it. It just breaks my heart to see anyone or anything suffer. I just want to help these kids." Her eyes fluttered shut for a second at his touch. "I want to help Goten. That's all that matters to me."

Goku nodded, "Its not easy to stand up for what's right. You must be a very strong person to do so. Don't let anyone tell you different. How could someone call you a monster. You are an angel to the children you help." He carefully worked the salve into her ankle, feeling around the lump and concentrating on working the mixture into that area. He stopped and washed his hands off in the water, shaking them dry before he reached for the bandage and expertly wrapped her ankle up, "There. Thats not too tight is it?" He looked at her toes for any bluish nails.

Rose wiggled her toes slightly. "No, that's perfect. Thank you." She carefully laid her leg over the knee of her other one and looked around, appreciating the spring for the first time since they'd flown there. It was breath-taking. The gentle sound of a waterfall as the spring spilled over the lip of the land, the birds singing overhead, the cool shade from the surrounding trees and the damp coolness of the spring itself made the air heavy and comforting. "I thought places like this only existed in fairy tales," she breathed dreamily.

Goku washed his hands in the water again before cupping his hands and taking a drink of the cool water, sighing happily. He lifted himself out of the water and sat next to her, "Half the time I think I'm dreaming to have been so lucky to be here." He let out a long contented sigh before he stopped and leaned his head back and laughed, warm and bubbly, coming from his chest, "Can you just imagine? This would make one heck of an interesting fairy-tale!"

She raised her eyebrows and gave a nod. "I just hope it ends in happily ever after."


	12. Territorial

"Oh man, I ate too much," Tien groaned, leaning against the table. "Thanks for supper, girl." Sabriena gave him a small smile and cleared away the dishes, setting them in a small washtub on the little counter. "Here, it's my turn to wash," Tien said, getting to his feet.

"I got it," she muttered.

Tien raised an eyebrow curiously at her. Sabriena hated washing the dishes. Something was wrong, that much was obvious. He gave Goku a confused look, not understanding what was wrong now.

Goku leaned back in his hair, "Oh man, Sabriena, you've outdone yourself on this one!" He patted his stomach, he stood up and went over to Sabriena. "Here, at least let me help you dry the dishes!"

Sabriena couldn't help the way she was feeling. She wasn't the vain person she used to be, but seeing the pretty caseworker today had made her more than a little aware of the fact that she didn't feel very girly anymore. There was too much hard work to do for there to be time for looking pretty. "I said I got it," she insisted a little more forcefully. She couldn't remember the last time she'd bothered to put on makeup or get dressed up for anything, aside from the masquerade ball they'd attended at Capsule Corp. In her day to day life, Sabriena didn't bother with it. What was the point in putting on makeup just to go out and sweat it all off in the summer heat?

Goku frowned at her but backed away and he glanced over at Tien. She'd been like this most of the day. He looked back at her, "What's wrong Sabriena? You still upset the caseworker came out today? You don't have to worry, I think it went well, so there's no need to stress over it!"

Sabriena shrugged, her back to them as she continued to work. They'd probably tell her she was silly for feeling that way, but their words wouldn't change the way she felt. She sighed as one of her braids fell forward, the long blonde strands slipping from it, making it look ratty.

Tien sighed. "You gonna tell us what's wrong?"

"I'm fine," she answered, drying her hands on a towel. "I gotta put the chickens up." She headed for the door, looking rather down, and she didn't meet their eyes as she went.

Goku grabbed her arm before she could open the door, "No. You stay a here and relax. I'll go put them up." He tried to catch her eye, make her smile, but she wouldn't lift her gaze from the floor. He thought now would be a good time to get the lavender oil for a massage, but unless they addressed her attitude it would all be for naught.

Sabriena shook her head at the floor. "You don't have to do that," she said. "They're my chickens. I can put them up."

Tien sighed and crossed his arms. "You gonna tell us what's bothering you or not?"

It was Sabriena's turn to sigh. She knew that tone. Tien wasn't letting her go anywhere until she explained herself. "I just... don't like that caseworker."

Goku blinked his eyes at her, "She seemed okay to me, why? Did you get a bad vibe from her? I was nervous to, but she's really not a bad person. She just wants what's best for Goten."

Sabriena pressed her lips together for a moment before she blurted, "How can I compete with that?"

Tien stared at her with confusion all over his face. "Compete? What do you mean compete?" He looked at Goku, who looked just as bewildered.

"Don't act like you couldn't see how pretty she is," Sabriena stated. "I can't keep up with that! Not on a daily basis..."

"Oh for cryin' out loud," Tien muttered. "Sabriena, you don't have to dress or look a certain way. You know I love you."

"I just don't... feel... pretty," Sabriena muttered. "And I know that' silly to you men, but girls... we like to do things that make us feel pretty sometimes. She made me feel like I should take a little more pride in the way I look again. You know, for you guys." She seemed to deflate before them.

Goku blinked for a moment, "But you are beautiful." He laughed, he had an idea, "You two get comfortable on the bed, I'll get the chickens put up. You like massages right?" He chuckled and turned and went outside, closing the door behind him. He quickly put the chickens away, pausing at the garden to look over the flowers that were growing along the edges, he picked some lavender and baby's breath before he headed back inside.

"Massage?" Tien asked. He pulled his shirt off and tossed it in the laundry basket. "He doesn't have to twist my arm. How about you?"

Sabriena turned away from him and rolled her eyes.

"Sabriena," Tien said softly and turned her to look at him. "You're beautiful. I love you just the way you are and so does Goku. You know that. Don't be getting jealous over some random woman who's only here to do her job. I don't like her either, but this is about helping Goku. We can't make it about us."

She sighed, "I know. Just give me a day to clear my head. I'll be fine. I'm sorry."

He kissed her softly, then grabbed her up in his arms. "Come on, Goku said to get in bed." He carried her across the cabin and set her on the bed, pulling her shoes off and tossing them aside before he kicked off his boots and laid down beside her. "I really do think you're beautiful," he murmured.

Goku opened the door and walked in, closing it behind him, with the flowers in one hand, he went over to the special cabinet with the jars and he looked through them a moment before he selected one and walked over to the bed, setting the items on the bed before he went over to where Sabriena kept her hair brush and retrieved it, "Ladies first" he said with a smile. He went over and crawled on the bed behind Sabriena, "Tien, would you mind giving her a foot massage?"

Tien smiled, realizing what Goku was doing. Actions could speak so much louder than words. "I don't mind at all," he said, scooting around and took Sabriena's foot in his lap. He ran his thumbs down the sole of her foot, pressing them into the arch.

She moaned softly and closed her eyes. "Guys, what are you doing?" she whined.

"Shhh," Tien hushed her.

Goku smiled softly, loving that Tien could understand him without ever having to say much. He sat behind Sabriena, gathering her wild hair into his hands and drawing it back over her shoulders. He took her brush and carefully started drawing it through her hair, gently working the tangles out of it section by section until it was all silky smooth and tangle free. He set the brush aside and gently massaged her scalp and the back of her neck, pausing to reach for the purple lavender blossom and began to weave it into her hair. Below that he added in some of the baby's breath...the purple and white contrasted beautifully with her golden locks. He finished and looked to see Tien had finished his foot massage. He picked up the hand mirror that was laying beside the bed and he held it in front of her, leaning down and kissing her neck, "Look at how beautiful you are." He smiled against her skin, "Lay face down when you're ready." He reached over and snatched Tien's barefoot and carefully worked his fingers into the arch and the pad of his foot, giving him the same attention that he had given Sabriena,

Sabriena stared at herself for a long time, tears brimming at the edge of her eyes. She WAS pretty, dammit, and she was a fool for letting that woman get to her. She sighed and set the mirror in her lap. "I love you," she said to both of them. "I'm sorry for being so silly."

"Ah, you're lucky we love you, too," Tien teased, leaning back on the palms of his hands, one leg stretched out to Goku. The strong hands made short work of his aching feet, loosening the muscles to the point where Tien felt he could just melt. "You're amazing, Goku," he murmured to his husband.

Goku chuckled and patted his feet, "Just relax while I see to our wife." He looked at her and reached out to her, helping her take off her top, carefully lifting it over her hair. He set it aside and eased her face down onto the bed, moving her hair off of her back and to the side before he reached back and took the little bottle of lavender oil, pouring out a measure into this hands, rubbing them together to warm the liquid. He straddled her back, sitting on her buttocks and he leaned over to rub her back down first before using both of his hands to start digging into her tense muscles, pressing his thumb along her spine, soothing out the knots he could feel, migrating into one shoulder.

Sabriena closed her eyes at his touch. His strong, slightly rough hands slid across her skin, so warm and gentle. She couldn't stop the moan that escaped her lips. His weight on her made her long for him again. She forced herself to relax and enjoy the massage, but it took a great deal of effort not to wriggle underneath him. She felt his hands slide down her ribcage then work back up her spine. Gods, this man was amazing. Her whole body ached from stress and the hard labor they'd all put in the past few days. She prayed he'd pay as much slow, loving attention to the rest of her as he did to her back.

Goku smiled down at her, he willed himself to not stiffen at the moan that escaped her lips, he had something else in mind for her first. He worked, slowly, lovingly until he was sure he had worked all the kinks out of her back before he moved off of her and gently tugged on her until she rolled over. He moved to sit on her waist after getting another helping of the massage oil, resting his hands on her waist and sliding them up her body, passing his oil slicked hands over her breasts, watching as they glistened in the fire light, they pebbled under his hands and he carefully worked them until another moan poured from her lips. Her moved then, unbuttoning her shorts and slipped them off. Her nether lips were already glistening wet, but he still trailed down with his oil slicked fingers and eased two fingers inside of her drinking in her gasps and cries of pleasure, switching to three fingers a few moments later.

Tien sat up with interest. Talk about a full-body massage. He moved to sit near her head, watching as Goku worked, smiling down at their wife as she gasped and moaned.

Sabriena tried to reach for Goku, but Tien gently grabbed her wrists and pinned them to the bed above her head. He held them there with one hand, gently stroking her face with the other. "Ah ah, beautiful. Tonight, you just lay back and enjoy." He slid his free hand down her throat, down the valley between her breasts, his hand sliding over the oil on her skin, making her slick and warm under his palm. He drug his hand across her stomach and back up to grip her breast, sliding his fingers over it, massaging the heavy curve for a moment. He reached for the other one, his eyes on Goku's hand sliding in and out of her body. He grew hard, watching Goku's oil-slicked fingers press into her, making her cry out as she brought her hips up off the bed, begging for more.

Goku smiled at the way she arched up and onto his fingers. He looked over at Tien, he had a very special idea for him as well, "Sabriena. You may not move your hands. Hold on just a moment baby." He looked wickedly over at Tien, "Lay on your back just for a second," he reached out with an oil slicked hand and reached for Tien's impressive girth, tugging him to lay on his back before he moved an straddled Tien, sitting on his thighs, his erection standing free. Goku slicked more oil onto his hands and started working it into his husbands chest, paying special attention to his pectorals, his thumbs circling around his nipples. Trailing his hands down His rock hard body, leaving no muscle untouched before he finally let his arm hands curl around his weeping cock, feeling the organ stiffen further in his grasp.

Tien sighed contentedly as his husband grasped his swollen shaft, the oil on his hands hot and slick as he stroked him. It wasn't long before Tien was panting, gently thrusting his hips up, wanting Goku to stroke him harder, faster, but he simply maintained that slow, deliberate pace, pulling his hand firmly over Tien's massive cock again and again. Tien dug his fingers into the pillow on either side of his head, his back arching, sucking air between his clenched teeth. It had been days since they'd been together and he was suddenly very aware of his need for release. And still Goku refused to increase his pace.

Goku could almost sense that frantic need from the both of them, He lifted his hand from his husband's shaft, smiling at him and tugging him up and turned him to face their wife, her legs readily opening wide for him. He shivered his own pleasure as he watched Tien sink into her body with a groan. Instead of letting Tien control the pace, he just pushed him down further, moving to sit behind him, slicking his hands up and started rubbing down his back...the back he had been staring at all day, glistening in the sunlight. He began Tien's massage as he worked out the knots, the tension he felt. Taking his time and digging into those muscles working his way down further and further, finally sliding between Tiens cheeks. He kept one hand on Tien's lower back, stopping him from thrusting into Sabriena as he oiled up his fingers again and carefully circled around the hidden tight ring of muscle, teasing him at first before he slipped a finger in him ,working him open, spreading him, loosening him up.

Tien growled against Sabriena's neck, feeling Goku torturing his body so. He didn't want to stop but Goku's hand at his back was too strong. He lay there in agonizing pleasure, there was nothing for it but to relax against Goku's assaulting fingers and shiver in anticipation. This was his favorite position; Sabriena beneath him and Goku at his back, being held between the two great loves of his life. Too often he found himself playing the part of the strong one, keeping everyone else's emotions and impulses in check. It was nice to be the center of the attention in moments like this, receiving as much pleasure as he gave, for their bodies to join so intimately, so lovingly. Sabriena squirmed underneath him, clenching and unclenching her muscles around him, her wet heat driving him wild. He spread his legs a bit and moaned as he felt Goku slip a second finger into his body, stretching him open. He shuddered against Sabriena's small frame beneath him and she smiled at him.

She pressed her lips to his, slipping her tongue into his mouth, kissing him slowly. She broke the kiss and peered over his shoulder at Goku with hooded eyes. "You're teasing him," she lightly scolded.

Goku chuckled kindly and withdrew his fingers from Tien's body, reaching for the oil the last time as he slicked up his own throbbing shaft before crawling over to them on his knees. He spread Tien wide with his hands before pushing up against him. The blunt head of his cock took a moment but eventually slipped inside, where Tien squeezed him in the most intimate way possible. He carefully pushed until his hips were flush against Tien and he draped his body over Tien's as he kissed at his back, smelling the wonderful fragrance of lavender. He pushed in, shuddering as he did. It was hard to keep that delicious slow pace going, but this as about them and making sure they were fully sated and loved.

Tien let out a shivering sigh, "Finally." He began to thrust into Sabriena again, impaling himself upon Goku's shaft every time he pulled back, the pleasure ripping through his body with every movement. The hard muscles of Goku's chest and stomach pressed against his back, Sabriena's soft, full curves against his chest, all of them slick with the warm oil, their bodies sliding and slipping over one another. Tien shivered again as he slowly pressed himself deep within Sabriena, so deep that the head of his cock hit that soft, warm ring deep within her, making her cry out and buck against him. And Goku was buried so deep within him, filling him completely, stretching his body over the cock that throbbed and drove further into him.

Goku's hips pressed against Tien's ass, forcing him deeper into their wife as she whimpered and tried to press back, wanting to feel Tien as deeply as possible within her. She spread her legs further and squirmed, grinding her clit against the hard muscle at the base of Tien's shaft. She gasped again, "Oh god, boys. More. Please, more. Fuck him, Goku. I want to feel it."

Goku didn't need to be told twice, he let himself go, turning super Saiyan with a roar, sending a warm golden light to wash over everything in the room. He moaned as his cock swelled further causing Tien's body to tighten around him deliciously. He didn't waste any more time, setting a furious pace pounding into Tien, loving the sound as his skin slapped against his brutally.

Tien had a brief moment of thankfulness for the oil as Goku ripped into his body, slamming against that bundle of nerves that made him seize up from pure pleasure.

Sabriena lifted her hips as much as possible, Goku's thrusting forcing Tien into her own body in that feverish pace. She watched their faces, both of them with their eyes squeezed tight, gasping and grunting as they worked towards their orgasms, inflaming her body with a powerful lust for her husbands. Her own climax was building. It drove her absolutely insane to watch them like this, so primal, giving in to their darkest desires and sharing that with her. She felt the orgasm building, boiling deep within her for a moment before it burst free, her nerves ablaze as she screamed with pleasure, her body tightening over Tien's assaulting shaft, making her vision go white.

Goku was so deep inside Tien's body. The heat, the slickness. It was all too much for him. Sabriena came, he knew it as he watched her expression as she screamed with pleasure as she went over that edge. It was like a cascade effect, Tien's body clamped tightly around Goku's length as he stiffened and spilled his essence into Sabriena, so deep into her body, he had nearly passed the head of his cock into her cervix. Goku came with a strangled cry, his cock pulsing deep within Tien. He thrust against Tien, his body milking every last drop from him. He collapsed against Tien, before remembering Sabriena was on bottom. A thought shivered through him, she would have to top both of them some night. His hair fell back to normal as he powered down, panting. He rolled on his side to look at his husband and wife. He reached out and brushed a wild strand of hair behind her ear, the flowers still in place. "I love you both so much."

"I love you," Sabriena whispered to him. She looked to Tien, "And I love you."

Tien smiled and slid down the bed just a bit to lay the side of his face on Sabriena's chest. "Love you guys, too." He was utterly spent; it was a struggle just to keep his eyes open to look at Goku. He couldn't help but admire how handsome he was and Tien snuggled into Sabriena's chest to hide his blush and gently kissed the curve of her breast.

Goku sighed happily and cuddled close to Sabriena, their legs tangling together. He reached across her and placed a hand over Tien's and blinked sleepily at both of them before looking at Sabriena, "So you believe us now, right? You know these marks on our necks aren't just to make us look good. You two are my mates and I am yours. I would never, ever violate what this mark means to me. No matter how we might look. Physical appearance doesn't matter to me."

She slowly blinked at him, a sleepy smile pulling at her lips. "I know," she said softly, reaching over and trailing the back of her fingers along his jaw, down his neck to rest against the raised mark. "I was being insecure. Forgive me."

He laughed warmly before he leaned over to kiss her softly, "There's nothing to forgive. I think you were just being territorial." His thumb stroked at the top of Tien's hand. His eyes were heavy. "It's been a long day. Let's get some rest. Maybe we will sleep well tonight and be refreshed in the morning."


	13. It's All About Perspective

Rose sighed as she entered her apartment that night. What a bizarre day. Had all of that really happened? She shook her head and flipped the light on, wandering into her tiny kitchen and dropping her purse on the counter. She rummaged in the refrigerator and withdrew leftover asparagus and fettuccini and quickly popped it in the microwave. She ran a hand through her strawberry blonde waves and shook her head.

She'd spent the past week analyzing the components of this case. Poor little Goten with the hideous bruises on his face and body. She'd spent most of the day watching him play, talking with him. He was such a sweet little boy. He laughed and smiled at her, so enthusiastic about everything around him. The resilience of the children she helped never ceased to amaze her, and Goten was no exception.

Rose sat at the kitchen bar and pulled her food close, slowly inhaling the scent of the warm noodles and vegetables. Her mind drifted back to her visit with Mrs. Son in her little house over in South City. It was immaculate, not unlike Rose's own apartment, but with a decided stiffness about it. She was unsure of Mrs. Son, the way her smile didn't quite reach her eyes, the way she seemed to have to work up to tears when she spoke about her son and her barbaric ex-husband. When she wasn't accusing her ex, Mrs. Son engaged in mostly small talk. The weather, the roses growing along the fence, her visits with her father. Rose had found nothing out of the ordinary. The house was magazine-perfect, right down to the fresh flowers on the table and the perfectly arranged and labeled toy bins in Goten's room.

Rose chewed slowly, trying very hard not to think about the rabbit she'd watched Mr. Son eat that afternoon. Rose rarely went out to dinner unless it was a special occasion for someone else and most of the time ordered her food in from a couple special vegan and vegetarian restaurants around the city. She didn't know how to cook.

Her visit with Goten's father had been very different. He was open and friendly and had that enthusiasm for life that Goten did. He'd been painfully honest about every single thing Rose had asked him; she found it refreshing. Most parents were edgy and nervous, afraid to say one wrong word. But not him. He didn't try to hide anything, even going so far as to openly show her the switch his wife used to defend herself from a rooster. But his living situation was just so far off the radar from what most people would consider "normal." The polygamous relationship, living in the middle of nowhere without electricity or running water. Bizarre. But there was a warmth there, a feeling of being completely safe and protected, which she didn't quite understand. Mr. Son's partners, Mr. and Mrs. Shinhan, were more than a little intimidating. Mr. Shinhan hadn't smiled at all that day, not once, and he barely spoke. His wife couldn't have been more opposite from him. She was tiny compared to his huge, muscular form, and she grew more talkative as the afternoon wore on, but only to her husbands. Rose was impressed with the way Mrs. Shinhan worked along side the men, viciously digging and setting posts as they worked to finish the barn.

Rose learned that Mrs. Shinhan had been married to Mr. Shinhan for the better part of a year before Mr. Son had come to stay with them and that was why she hadn't taken Mr. Son's name. Rose couldn't help but wonder how such a young woman, especially one so tiny and pretty, could handle being wife to these two big, older men. Yet she couldn't deny, Mrs. Shinhan had a fire in her and a presence that commanded respect, very much like Mr. Shinhan. It was funny the way their body language mimicked each other. The same hand gestures, facial expressions, like they were perfectly in tune with one another. Rose had seen lots of parents over the past two years of working for Child Protective Services, but never had she seen two people so in sync as Mr. and Mrs. Shinhan. And never had she seen such loving, admiring looks as the ones all three of them exchanged without ever knowing they were doing it.

Rose had no experience with relationships, save for her observations of the couples she met through her work and the occasional meeting of her friend's boyfriends (which rarely happened.) She'd always thought she'd have a husband and children by the time she was her age, twenty-seven, but she had been so focused on her career that she'd never even taken the time to have a boyfriend. Ever.

Oh well. One of these days.

She tossed the empty containers into the trashcan and headed for the bathroom. She stripped away the dirty business suit and showered, the hot water washing away all the dirt and stress from the day, going over the points she'd learned the past few days.

Mrs. Son's house was immaculate. She had electricity, running water, a refrigerator, a bedroom for Goten – all the basics were covered. Yet there was a coldness there that unsettled Rose. Mr. Son's house was lacking all of those things; there was no washing machine for keeping laundry clean, no refrigeration. All they had was a primitive root cellar. Yet there was a warmth there that pulled at Rose's heart. She hated things like this. She couldn't recommend that Goten go stay with his father, the law would never allow that unless they could prove to her without a shadow of a doubt that Goten's most basic needs would be met, and that included having his own room.

Rose shook her head and towel-dried her hair before wandering over to her bedroom to dress in shorts and a tank. She headed back to her living room and clicked on the TV. She paused before she sat down, taking a moment to look at the framed pictures on the wall and the ones sitting on the mantle. The pictures on the mantle were of her family. Her parents posing with her on her graduation day, she and her brother wearing sombreros at the Mexican restaurant, several pictures of random life events, all with her brother. But it was the wall that was interesting.

Dozens of pictures of the children she'd helped were hanging on that wall. Every time she was assigned a case, she would take a picture with each child once they'd gotten close enough for the kids to feel comfortable with her. She had thought it was a bit vain at first, seeing herself in every picture, but the first few kids had insisted she be in the picture with them and it just kind of snowballed from there. She couldn't wait for Goten to heal so she could take a picture with him. She loved all the shining, smiling faces on the wall. It reminded her that the work she did was worth it.

She sighed and sat on her couch, mindlessly flipping through the channels. She had to figure out who had hurt poor little Goten. She just had to.

* * *

Rose couldn't help but smile as Goten excitedly looked out the windows of her car. "I get to see my daddy! I get to see my daddy!" he sing-songed.

She smiled and shook her head. She was grateful for the GPS in her car or she'd have never found the little cabin again. It had been over a week since her last visit. Her hovercar landed and she stepped out, looking around for Mr. Son or his wife or husband. "Hello?" she called.

Mr. Son rounded the edge of the cabin, waving cheerfully as Rose opened the back door of the car. Goten leapt out and shouted, "DADDY!" and took off towards his father at a full sprint.

Goku's eyes widened and he smiled widely at the unexpected visit. He held his arms open as his son ran to him. "GOTEN!" He caught his son in his arms, the force of Goten sprinting at him knocked him off balance and he fell back laughing with his son, hugging him tightly, "Hey kiddo! It's so good to see you! I missed you so much!" He sat up and held Goten in his lap, watching him, the marks on his face had finally begun to fade. "Have you been eating enough?"

"I missed you, Daddy!" Goten cried. He went a little quiet at the question about food. "They say I eat too much," he muttered.

"Now Goten, don't be like that," Rose said kindly, "Your foster parents do everything by the book. You should be getting plenty to eat. They follow strict government guidelines on that."

Goku chuckled, "Goten eats way more than normal kids." He snuggled with his son, ruffling his hair. "I love you, Goten. Hopefully this will be over soon." He kissed his sons cheek, "Sabriena's making something special for lunch today, kiddo. She's in the garden seeing what vegetables are ready. Why don't you go help her out? She's been missing her little helper in the kitchen!"

"Yeah!" Goten cried, jumping up and running around the back of the cabin. "SABRIENA!" They could hear her gasp and cry, "GOTEN!"

"Sorry to drop in unexpectedly like this," Rose apologized, looking at Goku sitting on the ground. "I normally call before I bring a child out for a home study. But since you don't have a phone..."

Goku jumped up, "No, no! Thank you! Thank you so much! It's great to see him, I love being surprised like that!" He grinned, "Though, now I gotta send Tien out to get some of those mushrooms for lunch! If we have enough of those, we almost don't need meat! You'll love it!" He paused for a moment looking down at her legs, "Oh! How's your ankle doing?"

Rose looked down at her ankle. "All healed up," she smiled. "I really should be keeping an eye on Goten. Can we go back to your garden?" she asked.

Goku nodded, "Yeah come on!" He headed around back to see Goten hugging Sabriena's neck tightly and he smiled widely. He looked around, seeing Tien had stopped pulling up weeds to smile over at Goten. "Hey Tien," He rubbed the back of his neck, "I hate to ask, but Rose is staying for lunch and she's vegetarian. You think you can find some of those matsutake mushrooms?" He looked sheepishly over at Sabriena, "And ah, make some pasta with vegetables? I think?" He chuckled.

Tien eyed Rose for a minute. "Yeah, I guess I can do that," he said, getting to his feet and brushing the dirt from his knees.

"You don't have to do that," Rose said, "I brought a salad again."

"It's fine," Tien said and whistled loudly for the Great Dane that was napping in the sun. "C'mon, Dog." Dog bounded quickly to Tien's side, panting happily. He looked over at Rose and tipped his head to the side, but took off at a trot when Tien headed for the woods.

"You wanna help me make some pasta?" Sabriena asked.

Goten nodded excitedly. "YEAH! I'm starving, Sabriena! They don't let me eat until I'm full!"

Sabriena narrowed her eyes. "I'll fix that. Come on. We'll eat pasta until we can't breathe." She grabbed his hand and led him past Rose and into the cabin.

Rose turned to follow them again. "They really don't have to go to any trouble for me," she told Goku. "I don't expect to be fed when I'm here."

Goku laughed, "Nonsense. We can't eat this awesome food and have you just watch us while you eat a salad. You'll love it! We will have plenty to go around." He pushed open the door for her and looked to Sabriena, "Hey hon, you need me to get anything before you start cooking?"

Sabriena was showing Goten how to attach the pasta machine to the edge of the table. She smiled up at him. "No, I already collected the eggs this morning. I think we're good." She straightened up. "I'm gonna need you to turn it for me, okay? I need someone super strong to turn that handle," she smiled at Goten and playfully squeezed his bicep.

He giggled. "I can do that!" he grinned.

Sabriena hauled the big bag of flour onto the table and poured out two big mounds onto the surface. "Watch," she said, "Make a well in the middle of it like this." She pushed her fingers into the flour and moved them around and Goten mimicked her. "Now we need eggs," she said. She looked up at Rose, "You're not Vegan, are you?"

Rose shook her head. "No. Just vegetarian."

Goku pulled out a chair for Rose to sit down. He moved to sit at his normal spot, smiling over at Goten. It was so good to have him back. It was like a piece of him had come back home and things were right in the world again. He watched as they cracked eggs into the little well in the flour they made. He looked back over at Rose, "Any vegetables you aren't a fan of?"

"No, I'm pretty open to anything," she said, sitting down and setting her clipboard on the chair next to her.

"Hey, Goten," Sabriena said as they mixed and kneaded the dough. "Did you see what your daddy brought home the other day?"

Goten shook his head.

"We got a dairy cow," Sabriena grinned. "So now I can teach you how to make butter and cheese and all sorts of things! I can do that stuff with goat's milk, but cow's milk is a bit easier."

"Really?" he asked excitedly. "I didn't know you could make that kind of stuff! I thought it was made at the store!"

"Is the milk pasteurized?" Rose asked.

Sabriena gave a soft snort. "No."

Rose gave a light laugh, "You can't drink or use milk that hasn't been pasteurized!"

"Uh, yeah you can," Sabriena argued. "All pasteurization does is kill off all the nutrients! It breaks down the lactose, destroys the vitamin C; pasteurized milk is FAR worse to drink."

Rose blinked and shook her head. "That's not what our guidelines say," she muttered, rummaging through her papers.

"Your guidelines are wrong. Trust me, I know food," Sabriena snapped.

Rose looked a bit cross at being snipped at and continued to dig through her papers, going silent as she found what she was looking for and made notes to herself again.

Goku frowned a little bit. He had some of the milk from the cow and it had tasted just fine to him. He leaned on the table and watched the two cooking. Goten was laughing as he cranked the pasta machine for Sabriena. It wasn't too much later when the door to the cabin opened again and Tien walked in with Dog carrying a basket with the mushrooms and he set them on the table. Goku looked at the special mushrooms with wide eyes, grinning, "Wow! You found a lot of them!"

"You expected anything less?" Tien smirked as Dog jumped up and licked at Goten's ears, making him shy away and laugh.

"I could've found more," Sabriena said haughtily.

Tien wrapped an arm around her waist, "Oh you think so, huh?" he growled lightly against her ear as she shrieked and giggled. He quickly pressed his lips against her cheekbone, but released her as he saw Rose watching them with interest. He cleared his throat. "Anything else you need?"

"Eh," Sabriena shrugged. "We'll have to get some veggies from the garden here in a bit."

Tien nodded and sat down in his chair and Dog placed his paws in Tien's lap. "Big ol' mutt," Tien said softly and rubbed at Dog's ears.

Goten was spinning the handle to the pasta machine with both hands, "Look, Dad! It's working!" he cried as Sabriena caught the long sheet of pasta.

Goku chuckled and grinned over at them, "Wow! That's great, son! You're turning into quite the little chef!" He stood up, "I'll go get the vegetables from the garden. Which ones did you want, Sabriena?" He stopped next to Tien's chair and leaned down to his ear, "Thanks for the help." He squeezed his shoulder and looked up at Sabriena.

"Eggplants," she answered. "I'm gonna make parmesan breaded eggplant. And you can grab whatever else you want." She changed the roller on the machine, "Not so fast this time, buddy. We're gonna cut the noodles now."

It wasn't long before the entire cabin was filled with the scent of food and Sabriena served everyone their plates. "Thanks," Rose said quietly.

Goku bit into his and sighed happily, "Oh man, you guys! This is the best ever! Goten! I think this tastes even better than normal! You two are one heck of a cooking team! Great job you two." He reached over and ruffled his son's hair and smiled warmly at his wife before he looked over at Rose to see what she thought. The food was steaming hot, wafting up into her face. She was sniffing at it carefully, the expression on her face made him chuckle. "It's not going to bite you." He turned back to his own plate and ate one of the mushrooms, its rich flavor exploding across his tongue, mixing with the pasta that just absolutely melted in his mouth.

Rose had never seen food prepared quite like this - over an open fire with the heavy black pots and pans. She carefully cut a small piece and bit into it. Her eyes went wide and she pressed the tips of her fingers to her full lips. It was absolutely delicious. The crispy breading on the eggplant, the creamy cheese sauce on the noodles. It was heaven. "Oh my goodness, Mrs. Shinhan," she breathed.

Sabriena beamed. "Told you I know food."

Goten was happily stuffing his mouth, barely taking the time to chew, he was so ravenous. Rose blinked at him, but let it go. He didn't seem to be choking. "Mr. Son, your wife is an excellent cook."

Goku grinned at her and smiled over at his wife and saw Tien beaming at her too. He spoke with a tenderness in his voice, "I'm one of the luckiest men alive to have her and him." He smiled over at Tien, grinning wider when he caught the faint blush on his cheeks and he laughed as they all tucked into their meals. Several plates later, Goku finally pushed his empty plate away and leaned back patting his stomach, "Oh man! That was delicious! Thank you so much Sabriena!" He looked over at Goten who was finally slowing down on his last plate. He chuckled at him, "You really were hungry werent you kiddo? You sure you got enough?"

Goten nodded as he swallowed his last bite. "Finally," he answered. He seemed pouty. "I wish I could eat here all the time. Sabriena lets me eat as much as I want."

Sabriena smiled and ruffled his hair. "Well of course," she said, "I wouldn't keep a Saiyan from his food." Her eyes went wide and she clapped her hands to her mouth.

Rose looked curious. "A what?"

Goku laughed out loud before he looked to Rose, "Well, I think the cat's out of the bag now. Ah, you might have noticed we're a little different than normal. Goten and me." He chuckled, "You might not even believe this, but I'm a full blooded Saiyan. Which means… hmmm, how to put this into words… a space monkey? We… we're aliens! We have huge appetites!"

Rose blinked her eyes widely. She'd heard rumors of aliens, but that was all. Mostly when people spoke of such things, she pictured paranoid fools hiding in their basements wearing tinfoil hats. "Is that why you can fly?" she asked. Her brain was going dizzy again. This was all just too weird.

Goku shook his head, "Oh no! Anyone can fly with the right training. Sabriena and Tien can fly and they're human. Most of my friends can fly, actually, now that I think about it." He chuckled at the look on her face, "We are born with tails too." He shouldn't have been having so much fun, but the look on her face was so adorable, he couldn't help himself, "Hey! At least we aren't Nameks! That would have really thrown you for a loop! They're bright green all over with little pink patches!"

"Green with pink..." Rose let her voice trail off and she was quiet for a minute. Her shoulders shook and she laughed - a light, pretty sound that bubbled up from her chest. "Oh, that's funny! You almost had me there for a minute!" She pressed her hand to her mouth again, stifling her laugh. "You have quite a sense of humor, Mr. Son. This was all just a joke, right? The flying and everything? There's a trick to it."

Goku blinked at her innocently, "Um… no, I'm not joking. You want to meet one of them?" He tapped a finger against his lips, pondering if Piccolo would like a visit. He totally missed Tien and Sabriena's shaking heads, although Tien was hiding a faint smirk from her. "We flew the other day when you were out here, don't you remember? The trick is just learning to bring out your energy to fly. It takes a lot of practice!"

"Energy?" Rose asked. She eyed him for a minute. He really was serious. "You're really serious. Oh, this is weird," she muttered, resting her forehead on her hand, her elbow on the table. "Meet your friends, you say? Do they spend a lot of time with Goten? Do they know you all really well?" She was thinking that if she met more people who knew them, perhaps she could get a better grasp on the situation and make some sense out of it.

Goku nodded, "Oh yeah! Piccolo spent a lot of time with Gohan when he was growing up. He knows Tien and me real well." He glanced over at Sabriena, trying to hide his smile, "Ah, not so much with her, they don't get along. She really tried though!"

"Gohan..." Rose said, digging through her papers, "That's your oldest son, right? I haven't met him yet."

Sabriena had to stop herself from scoffing. That was a flat-out lie and Goku knew it. In fact, when she'd first come to Japan, Sabriena had done nothing but go out of her way to annoy and irritate Piccolo at every given opportunity. Still, at least now they had a mutual tolerance of each other after the training they'd done together for the war.

Goku chuckled, "And Dende's there as well! He came all the way from New Namek to be the Guardian of earth!"

Tien shook his head and stood up gathering the plates. "Hey Goten, want to help dry the dishes for me after I wash them?"

"Sure!" Goten said and jumped from his seat to rush to Tien's side. Sabriena was chewing her cheek, debating about Piccolo coming out there. Jenny was pretty level headed and tactful. Perhaps she could help them if Goku went to get them. "Jenny knows me well," Sabriena said softly.

Goku grinned and stood up, "Now thats a party! I'll go get them! Be right back!" He pressed two fingers to his forehead and vanished a second later, leaving a stunned Rose behind making a fish face at Sabriena.

Rose jumped, her blue eyes going wide. "Where... Where'd he go?!"

Sabriena snickered and Tien shook his head again. "Daddy can disappear," Goten said, taking a plate from Tien and drying it. "He'll be right back, promise!"

Sabriena stretched and sat back in her chair, lazily draping one arm over the back of it. "He'll be back in three... two... one..." No sooner had she counted off the numbers than Goku reappeared in the cabin with Piccolo and Jenny by his side.

Rose choked on a scream and her chair toppled over backwards where she hit the floor hard.

Goku laughed and rubbed the back of his head, leaning down to help Rose up off the floor, "Sorry about that! Are you alright?"

Jenny blinked for a moment realizing the strange woman on the ground was the caseworker Goku had briefly told them about. They had agreed and not a second later, here they were. She lightly smack Goku's arm. "You didn't tell her we were coming? You've probably given her several heart attacks by now." She was grateful Dende had been watching the kids. Well. Alice, mostly. Paige had been running around with Mr. Popo all morning, demanding that he let her help with watering the plants again. Dende had been standing at the edge of the Lookout, watching over things, speaking softly to little Alice.

Jenny shook her head and waved at Sabriena, "How are you holding up through all of this?"

"Eh, as good as can be expected," Sabriena answered. She looked up at the tall namek. "Hey, Piccolo."

He gave her a nod and stared at the woman on the floor.

"Sorry, sorry!" Rose apologized as Goku pulled her to her feet. "You just startled me, that's all." She pushed her hair out of her face and smoothed down her suit jacket. She composed herself and stepped around the table, her hand extended. "Hello, I'm Rose. It's nice to meet you."

Jenny took her hand and shook it, looking the caseworker up and down. She had a kindness to her that she could see behind the startled look in her eyes at the moment. She smiled at her and introduced herself, "Jennifer. This is my husband Piccolo." She looked over at Goten and saw the healing marks on his face and cursed under her breath. She smiled at him and went over to talk with him, observing the damage and complimenting him, saying how much he'd grown since she'd last seen him.

Goten grinned up at Jenny. "Is Dende watching Paige and Alice?" Jenny nodded. "Awww," he whined. "I wanted to play with Paige."

She grinned at him and ruffled his hair. Her heart broke for him a little. She couldn't imagine what the kid was going through, being ripped from his family like that. She understood why. Seeing that mark on his face, though faded, made her blood boil for Chichi's head. She'd get what was coming to her. She recognized the tiny Thor's hammer around his neck and smiled, "Tell you what. I'll see if I can't arrange a playdate for you guys as soon as I can. Paige has been wondering where you've been." She looked over at Sabriena and Goku, "You know, if that's alright if they have a play date." She grinned at the little version of Goku, "Though, if you hang out with my daughter, Piccolo's going to give you the third degree!"

"The third what?" Goten asked turning to look up at Piccolo.

Piccolo's breath caught in his chest as he saw Goten's face. He would not stand for this. He fixed Jenny with a hard stare and her eyes told him she felt the same. "Don't worry, kid," Piccolo said to Goten, "I'm not going to give you a hard time."

Goten bounced over to his dad. "Dad, can we go play outside? Please?!" He turned, "I want Sabriena to come, too!"

Goku laughed and nodded, "Alright, alright. Come on, mommy, better do what the kid says!" He laughed as Goten grabbed his hands and tugged until he had his father up and out of his seat heading for the door, reaching for Sabriena's hand when she got close enough. The door closed behind them and Jenny growled, "Chichi's a dead woman." She crossed her arms and looked outside after Sabriena and Goku, little Goten was chasing them around the yard in some version of tag. "I can't believe any mother would do that to their baby." She frowned and thought about her own kids. The thought of putting a mark like that on Paige's or Alice's face made her absolutely sick to her stomach.

Rose adjusted her glasses on her face and sat back at the table, grabbing her pen. She suddenly felt very intimidated. She had thought Mr. Shinhan was a big man. But this Namek in front of her was even taller with broader shoulders and seemed even more stoic than Mr. Shinhan ever had, if that was even possible. She was trying very hard not to let her brain go dizzy again.

Tien sat some cups on the table and filled them with coffee, offering one to Rose. She took it from him, muttering her thanks. Tien slid two of the cups to places at the table for Jenny and Piccolo, then settled himself back in his chair as Dog laid his head in his lap. "So... Mrs... ah, Jenny? You've known Mr. Son and his family for awhile?" Rose asked nervously. She didn't know why she felt that way. She'd never been nervous doing her job before. It had to be the way these two huge men were watching her, those stoic expressions on their faces.

Jenny sat at the table, gratefully accepting the coffee and sipped at it, letting her eyes flutter closed for a second, nodding the next. "Yeah. The other girls and I, Sabriena, Lindsey, Catie and Leele. We came here from America… what? Two… three years ago?" She eyed the woman and decided to not tell her about magick or the wars they had just finished fighting, "That first year we were here is a bit fuzzy to me. But Goku was a pretty constant and driving force no matter what. Always been a wonderful father from what I've seen. Gohan is amazing. Goten is wonderful. He went out of his way to help Lindsey… through a difficult time in her life."

"And Lindsey is...?" Rose asked.

"Gohan's wife," Piccolo answered.

Rose didn't look up as she wrote notes to herself, the deep sound of his voice resonating in her ears. "And how well do you all know Goten's mother?" she asked, looking up finally.

Jenny snorted, "Enough to know she's a horrible person. And I am not just saying that because Goku is a friend. She's controlling, manipulative. After she divorced Goku, when she found out about Tien and Sabriena, she tried to spread an ugly rumor around that Goku and Tien were raping Sabriena." Jenny exhaled loudly through her nose. That woman brought out the worst in her and she was hardly around her.

Rose shifted uncomfortably in her seat. There it was again. That unabashed openness that Mr. Son had, but where his just seemed to pour out of his mouth, Jenny's speaking was deliberate. That was a terrible accusation and Rose couldn't help thinking that if it was true, these two men would surely have torn that girl apart. She suppressed the urge to shudder. Of course, even willingly, she wondered how such a tiny woman could... She stopped herself, chasing away the very inappropriate images that teased the edges of her brain. She looked to Tien. "That's a pretty hefty accusation. Why would she say something like that about you?"

Tien shook his head, "She never liked me to begin with. She didn't exactly hide the fact that she didn't approve when I married Sabriena in the first place. She tried to blame me for keeping Goku away from the house when they were still married. He would come out here frequently to train with Sabriena and me."

Jenny was shaking her head, "The main reason she said it, was that she was looking for a way to make herself look better. Its hell in a handbasket if she doesn't have everything PERFECT. It must have irritated her so much, seeing Goku so happy with someone other than herself. She was worried it would make her look bad, so to make Goku look worse, she spread the rumor."

Everything perfect. That sounded very much like the woman Rose had met. Mrs. Son's home was very much the environment of someone who had to keep complete control of everything. And it all seemed so... forced. "And you?" Rose asked, finally meeting Piccolo's dark eyes. "How long have you known them?"

Piccolo stared at her for a minute, sizing her up. He didn't trust anyone who was part of this legal system on earth. He'd already seen it fail miserably. "Most of my life," he answered. Physically, Piccolo was only a few years older than Gohan, but mentally, with his fusing of Nail and Kami, he was much older than that. "I trained Gohan. I've trained with Goku and Goten."

"Have any of you seen Mrs. Son act aggressively towards her children?"

Jenny waved her hand in a so-so motion. "She never physically raised a hand to them whenever I was around. She seems to behave when she has company. However, I've heard her yelling at all parties involved on occasion. I think she got a frying pan out at one time to threaten Goku with it."

Piccolo snorted. "Threaten? I've seen her hit him upside his head with one before."

Rose's eyes went wide. "She hit her husband with a frying pan?"

Piccolo nodded, his arms crossed. "She's a foul excuse for a woman. The sooner you get Goten away from her and out here with Goku, the better."

Rose frowned and looked down at her notes again. She wanted to help Mr. Son get his child back, but on paper, everything was in Mrs. Son's favor. "Mr. Shinhan, have... have you ever seen Mrs. Son be aggressive towards her children?"

Tien nodded, "I have. She wasn't using a switch, but I've seen her backhand Gohan for trying to stand up for himself. I think he'd been working on homework for… what… three days straight?" He shot a questioning look over to Piccolo before he shook his head, "Gohan wanted a break to go outside and get some fresh air, but Chichi said he hadn't done nearly enough, he'd never get into college and become a doctor with that attitude." He sighed, "She's gotten better at hiding it."

Jenny snorted, "And that was the normal for them, she'd scold Goku if he tried to help his kids and she'd kick him out of the house."

Rose frowned again, wishing she had been there to protect this oldest boy. She wondered how he was faring now. "Didn't any of you ever step in?" she asked, a hint of anger in her voice. These men were huge compared to that woman. If it was true that she was abusive, why had they stood by for all these years, allowing it to go on? It was ridiculous to her that a woman as physically small as Mrs. Son was, was able to throw a man like Mr. Son out of the house. "How could you just stand by and do nothing?"

Tien shook his head. "What she did to Gohan is nothing compared to what she's done to Goten. No, that doesn't make it an excuse. But we only saw the tip of the iceberg with Gohan. Then when Goten was born, they didn't notice marks. They couldn't see anything wrong. She'd always dress him in long sleeves, put him to bed before Goku and Gohan got home."

"That's no excuse..." Rose's voice trailed off as she looked through the window. She could see Goku and Goten in the yard. Goten had his fists raised, his father standing over him. "What are they...?" She got up and walked to the window, staring in shock at the scene before her.

Goten attacked his father, throwing punches and kicks, which Goku easily blocked. Goku kicked at Goten, the little boy threw his arms up and blocked it. Rose's breath stopped in her chest. She'd looked away for five minutes, and now this?!

Piccolo stared curiously at Rose for a moment. Hadn't she ever seen a sparring match before? He smirked with amusement until she screamed "NO!" and ran out of the cabin. His smile fell. What on earth was she doing?

He got quickly to his feet and followed her, "Come on. This doesn't look good." Tien and Jenny followed him out of the house.

Goku threw a punch at Goten, but Goten was too slow to block this time. The punch caught him in his jaw and sent him sprawling across the dirt.

"Gotta be faster than that, Goten!" Sabriena called encouragingly from her spot near the washbasin, scrubbing their laundry.

Rose ran to Goten so fast her heels came off in the yard. "STOP IT!" she screamed, throwing herself to her knees next to Goten. She looked over at Goku. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"

Goku blinked at her, skidding to a halt in his attack. Was she serious? His face paled as he realized she must have seen them sparring and thought he was hurting Goten, "Oh! No no! We're just having a sparring match. Goten said he wanted to train for a little bit. He's alright." He looked at Goten who was rubbing his jaw. Goku wiped away some of the sweat off of his brow and grinned at his son. "That was a good effort, Goten. It'll be easier once you have that committed to memory, then we can move on to some more advanced attacks."

"You're a real piece of work, you know that?" Rose snarled and scooped up Goten.

"Miss Rose! Where are we going?" Goten protested, looking over her shoulder at his dad. He didn't understand why she was taking him away again. Had he done something wrong? Had Daddy or Sabriena done something wrong?

"I'm taking you home," she said as she stumbled, bare foot, over the rough yard, heading for her car. She felt sick to her stomach. How dare they. She took her eyes off of him for only a brief moment and the next thing she knew, his father was beating him in the yard.

"But I don't wanna go!" Goten protested. "You promised we could spend the whole day!"

Rose wasn't listening to him. She was muttering to herself, tears swimming in her blue eyes. "Everyone wants to bad-mouth his mother while his father beats him just outside the door. I can't believe I almost fell for this, thinking you were decent people."

Sabriena had dropped her laundry in horror, watching Rose carry Goten towards her car. She shoved at Tien's and Piccolo's backs. "Stop her!" she hissed.

"Wait just a second," Piccolo said loudly. "I think you're misjudging the situation."

Rose spun towards him, her eyes wide. "Misjudging? I know what I saw! He hit Goten! He HIT this poor little boy," her voice cracked with tears.

Tien rushed over to her, "Wait! He wasn't beating him! That's what a sparring match is. It's martial arts training! It's completely different! Goten isnt even hurt! He won't even bruise from a hit like that because Goku was toning down the power behind the attack! Goten participates in the world tournament for god's sake! Why on earth would Goku do that to his own son out in the open knowing you could look out at any time?" He was frantic. The look on Goku's face was heart breaking, he was on his hands and knees begging the woman to not take his son.

Jenny stood horrified. She wanted to do something, but any action she took could be considered a hostile act and who knew what that was going to do to Goku's custody battle, "Come on, calm down and just think about the situation for a moment!"

Rose clutched Goten to her chest, one arm around his waist, the other holding the back of his head to her shoulder, and began to walk slowly backwards towards her car. They could easily overtake her if they wanted. She should've requested a police escort for this, but part of her had trusted these people. She forced her face into a calm, firm expression and kept her voice level. "Back off," she told Tien, who had been walking towards her, his hands held out slightly towards her, showing he meant no harm. She didn't trust that. She didn't like the way Goku was begging. It wasn't right for him to hit his child and then make such desperate, heartbroken sounds like that. The two pieces didn't match. She couldn't understand it.

"You'd better leave that boy here," Piccolo said in a stern voice. "Or I'll..."

Sabriena grabbed his elbow, cutting him off. "Don't threaten her," she hissed, "It'll only make it worse."

Jenny pinched the bridge of her nose. She really couldn't stand narrow minded people. This woman was starting to take the prize on that one. She looked her up and down. Not too long out of college, she looked to be taking everything by the book, by the laws, by the code. She snorted and went and picked up the lady's high heels and had to bite back a laugh. These kind of shoes out here? She rolled her eyes and walked over to stand a few feet from the car, watching as she strapped a crying Goten into the backseat. The sharp cry of Goten reaching for his father broke her heart. She held the woman's shoes out for her to take, "You're making a mistake. Don't rush off until you understand what happened. Do you even look for clues or do you just automatically think that because he hit Goten, he was abusing him? Do you really think that THAT man, would do anything that he thought would jeopardize his son?"

"I don't know what you people would or would not do," Rose hissed, snatching her shoes away from Jenny. "No parent should ever, EVER hit a child and I don't care for what reason! Martial arts..." She snorted and pulled her shoes on. "Sounds no better than the HUNDREDS of other excuses I've heard. You claim his mother did this, well his father looks no better in my eyes." She straightened up and looked over at Goku. "I thought you were a good person. I was so wrong. I've seen more than enough. And if you raised your other son to be like this, then I seriously doubt his home is any better suited for Goten!"

Goten was wailing in the backseat, the sound breaking Rose's heart. How could his father hurt him like that? She shouldn't have let Goten out of her sight. But then, she never would have found out the truth, either. She was going to have to explain this to her supervisor. She scrambled for the handle to the car door, not wanting to take her eyes off of these people until the car was safely in the air. Of course, they had those weird powers that allowed them to fly. Her only hope was to outrun them if they tried to stop her.

Goku felt like someone had stabbed him in the heart several times over as he watched the car speed off into the distance. He grabbed at his hair with both of his hands. Rose's words stung him like nothing he'd ever felt. It was just training! He would never ever in a million years hurt his son. He taught Goten to fight so he would be able to protect himself when Goku couldn't be there for him. And now that training was going to cost him his son. The tone in her voice, her movements. She would make sure she never saw him again. He was going to have to do something. Anything to stop this. "No… NO! GOTEN!" He shouted before he broke down into tears again.

Jenny and Piccolo exchanged a look. She could tell Piccolo wanted to go back to the Lookout and hug their daughters. She bitterly thought of what would happen if Miss Caseworker were to stop by Capsule Corp on a day when Vegeta was training Paige. She would snatch her away faster than the blink of an eye.

Sabriena ran to Goku's side, dropping to the ground next to him, throwing her arms over his shoulders. "Oh, gods, Goku," she sobbed. She should've known better than to let him spar with Goten. It was just something that was so natural to all of them now, she hadn't even thought about it. Her heart was ripping in two. Her husband, her stepson... their pain was too great. This was worse than a death. In death you have the solace of knowing that the person you love isn't hurting anymore. But this, she knew, just as the rest of them knew, Rose was NOT going to let them see Goten again. And now the hope of sending him to Gohan's seemed to be gone.

"This is why I said we should have kept him here and NOT gone to the law about this!" Tien bellowed.

Sabriena cringed at his words, burying her face into Goku's hair, trying not to sob in front of Jenny and Piccolo.

"I warned you about this, Goku! I told you they'd screw it up again! When are you going to stop trusting people so much?! IT ONLY GETS YOU HURT!" Tears were burning at Tien's eyes as well. Not only could he feel the disappointment of never seeing Goten again, but he could feel his wife's heart breaking, literally feel it, and he ached to mend it for her, but he knew he couldn't. His shoulders were heaving as he fought to control his emotions, to block hers, but he couldn't manage that, either. She felt this pain too much and it burned within his own chest as well.

Jenny winced as she watched the three start to deteriorate right in front of her eyes. A glance at Piccolo told her he was trying to block out the noise, it was a little too loud for him. The look on his face was terrifying. She hated the legal system, too, after what they did to Lindsey. It was laughable, though honorable, that Goku wanted to do things the right way.

She sighed, closing her eyes, a soft blue glow coming to her hands. She could see the pain that was in everyone's eyes, but this pain wouldn't be so easily healed. The bandage for it just drove off in a car. She hoped she could ease the pain for a little bit though, until they were able to deal with it on their own. This was very much like the magick that Dende used and the two of them had been practicing together, trying to see if she could use her magick in the same way. She could heal physical wounds fairly easily. Could she heal emotional wounds in the same way? She was about to find out.

She reached for Tien, her glowing fingers curling around his forearm, the warm blue light spreading over him, seeping into his skin. Jenny snorted. How does one heal a broken heart? 'Peace,' she thought, 'be at peace.'

Tien felt the warmth of Jenny's magick flow up his arm and curl itself around his heart. It calmed his anger, the one emotion that was trying to override his system more than anything. He dropped to his knees, his arm still clutched in her hand, closing his eyes. It didn't fix it, but the pain eased. And he'd have taken anything at that moment, any type of relief. "Thank you, Jenny," he whispered as she released his arm.

She walked over to Sabriena and Goku. The sounds they were making, she never wanted to hear again. She knelt down, both of her hands glowing and slid one hand on each of their backs. Rubbing carefully, seeking the pain of their minds, of their hearts, "Shhhh. Goten's not lost yet. It was a misunderstanding. You spoke truthfully. Only good can come from your words. The Mother does not punish you for being honest."

Sabriena collapsed against Goku, feeling numb. This wasn't fair. It wasn't right. Goten. All she could think of was Goten. There had to be a way to fix this. Jenny's magick had dulled the pain for the moment at least and that was more than Sabriena could ask. She felt Goku's breathing ease. "Oh, my love," she whispered to him, "we'll make this right. We'll figure it out."

A small smile pulled at Piccolo's lips. His wife was so intuitive, always knowing just the right thing to do or say to help another. He walked to her as she stared down at her friends and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Well done," he said softly.

Goku gasped out between his sobs as the warm magick had curled around his aching, bleeding, raw emotions. His sobs ebbed but did not go away. His pain was too great. He clutched at Sabriena weakly, "What have I done… what have I done? How could I have been so stupid?" He rocked back and forth, tears still flowing down his face.

Jenny scowled inwardly. She wanted to have so many words with Chichi right now. First she accused this man of rape and then she accused him of beating his own child. And when Goku tried to set things right for his boy, the law didn't even believe him. She felt sick to think that Goku put those marks on Goten. No, Goku would never do that. But Chichi. Her lip twitched in anger, trying to calm her own emotions. Karma was a bitch and eventually Chichi would get what was coming to her. "We're here for you, Goku. Whatever you need. Maybe we can go and talk to that caseworker. She might just need some time to breathe and gather her thoughts. Once she does, she'll realize what was going on."

Sabriena held Goku as tightly as possible. "Shhhhh," she soothed. "It's not your fault. She just doesn't understand. We'll talk to her again. Jenny's right; she just needs to cool off. And if she doesn't, if they take Goten away from us, we will TAKE him back. I don't care what happens. You are NOT going to lose your baby."

Tien got back to his feet and crossed the yard to them. He should've taken Goten out of the car right then and there. He sat next to Goku and placed a comforting hand on his back. He was angry with himself for losing his temper with Goku. Again. He didn't know how much more of this he could handle. He leaned in to Goku and Sabriena, his face screwing up. "I'm sorry," he whispered harshly. "Goku, I'm so sorry."

Goku clutched at Tien and Sabriena, his entire being shaking as he drew strength from their presence. "No," he said, a muscle working in his jaw. "This is my fault. I wasn't thinking. It's my fault she took him away. And I'm going to fix it. I'm not going to stop until I set things right."


	14. Movie Night

Rose sat in her apartment, staring miserably at the photos on her wall. In all her years at school, all of the on the job training, the cases she'd handled, nothing compared to this. Yes, she had seen children abused far worse than even Goten, but never had she found a child in such an odd situation. The sound of Goten wailing still echoed in her head. He'd begged to go back to his father's house, promising he would be good. He wanted to play with his daddy, he wanted to make supper with Sabriena, he wanted to help Tien in his garden. When Rose hadn't answered, he asked if he could at least go see his brother for a minute; a request Rose also denied. She had to practically pry him out of the back of her car to take him back into his foster home. He pleaded for her to come get him the next day, to let him see his daddy again. Never once was a word spoken about his mother. He hadn't asked to see her yet, a fact that unsettled Rose. There must have been a reason Goten didn't ask for her. Most children asked for their mommy, not their father, when they were upset or scared. But Goten asked for daddy - the man who had hit him so violently. There was something not right here. Mrs. Son may have been cold and overly proper, but she didn't seem dangerous or violent. But then again, neither had Mr. Son until that afternoon. Either he wanted his son to be taken away or he was really just that stupid.

Rose pulled her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around her shins. What was she going to do? She hated to break a family apart. She'd done it before and it always hurt. She didn't want Goten to go back to his mother and she didn't know why. It was just a feeling she got. But judges didn't award custody based on feelings. If she had her way, she'd adopt Goten herself and bring him home with her. She'd never thought that about any child before, but there was just something so endearing about little Goten. She just wanted to wrap him up and hold him and tell him he was safe. But her apartment was small and her pay wasn't the best. All those years earning a Master's Degree to help children and she was barely able to put anything away for savings at the end of the month. No, it was in Goten's best interest if he was adopted by a well-established family who was able to love him and care for him like he needed. The realization made her heart sink as if it were made of lead and she dropped her forehead to her knees, feeling like a failure.

Goku appeared in the strange apartment, looking around the small place, the photos of children and Rose that lined the wall. He spotted her second later looking as miserable as he felt, her eyes widening at his sudden appearance. He fell to his knees his hands up, "Please, Rose, please hear me out! It wasn't what you thought happened! I love my son, I would never in a million years hurt him! Please, I'll die if you take him from me. I can't live without my son."

Rose felt glued to the spot as she stared at the man kneeling before her. His eyes were bloodshot with tears and his voice sounded like it was going to crack. Where had he come from? Had he broken a window? Or did she forget to lock the door? "How did you get in here?" she whispered, edging back along the couch, her eyes wide. "How did you get in here?!"

Goku backed up, wiping his eyes with his hand, "It's a move, a technique I learned off the planet Yardrat." He tried to stifle a sob, "It's called instant transmission. I can focus on a person's energy and appear where they are. Just like I did at the cabin earlier with Jenny and Piccolo. I'm sorry, but I had to talk with you. I couldn't let you think that I was hurting my son on purpose. It's just training. We do it all the time! I know it's difficult to grasp but, it's normal for us." He was desperate for her to listen to him, for her to understand.

"This is NOT normal!" Rose cried. "None of this is normal!" She was climbing backwards over the couch, keeping her eyes on him, just as she had done when she went for her car. "I want you out of my home. Go! Or I'll... I'll call the police! I don't understand what's going on here, but I want no part of it!"

Goku looked up at her, looking into her eyes, his own felt like sandpaper. His hair was wild and he knew he had to look a bit crazy. He felt his hope dying and he wilted to the floor, crying some more. "You have to understand. You accepted this case. You care for my son. You are part of this already. Please... I'll do anything. I can't lose my son over a misunderstanding. I can't... I almost lost Gohan and it nearly killed me. I had to watch him die. If he hadn't been revived, I don't know what I would have done. l... this is worse, knowing my son is out there and I am helpless to do anything for him."

Rose paused, listening to him. The heartbreak in his voice tore at her emotions. She didn't know what to think. His oldest son had died and been revived? He must have been in a terrible accident. Rose had heard stories of people dying and being brought back if paramedics reached them in time. What a horrible thing for him to have to witness. She suddenly found her heart aching for this man who so obviously loved his children. She'd been too harsh with him, yelling at him the way he did. He wasn't a mean-spirited person, that much was obvious. Perhaps he just hadn't been taught the proper way to raise children. That was part of her job, too, wasn't it? To teach these parents how to treat their children the right way, if she could. Sometimes they just made mistakes. Well-meaning parents who did things the wrong way. She'd seen that before. Maybe that's all that this situation was.

Rose crossed the apartment and knelt next to the man sobbing on her floor. "Mr. Son, please stop crying," she said softly, touching his shoulder. "I'll listen. Just please stop crying."

Goku almost flinched when she touched his shoulder and he looked up at her, his eyes and face red from crying the entire afternoon. His hope was almost gone, "I'm a fighter... a warrior. I've been in several world tournaments. So has Tien. It's just in my blood, part of who we are. My sons are strong, so much stronger than normal humans. I told you earlier what we are. If we don't teach them how to control that strength, they old hurt themselves or anyone around them even if they don't mean it. Vegeta says Saiyans are a warrior class, the best in the universe. We don't age like humans so we can fight longer, we have huge metabolisms because our bodies burn so much energy. That's why Goten and I eat a lot. It's just who we are. We're different." He looked up at her, frightened, "Chichi called us monsters."

Rose searched his tearful eyes, chewing her bottom lip. The things he said, she didn't understand. She'd been amazed at how much and how fast they'd eaten their food that day. What he said about their metabolisms made sense. And if they were that strong, it made sense that he would want to teach his son to control it. It was hard to think of this man as an alien. He looked so incredibly human. He certainly felt things as hard as humans did, if not more so. She'd never had a father come to her like this, begging for his son, willing to do anything to protect his child. Perhaps she had been wrong. There was so much about the situation that she didn't understand. She brushed a tear from his cheek with her thumb. "I don't think you're a monster," she whispered.

Goku searched her eyes, blinking at her, giving her a small sad smile. "Thank you." He sat back, leaning against the wall and looked up at the ceiling, trying to calm himself. He looked back at her, "I will tell you anything you want to know. Thank you for hearing me out. I didn't mean to give you a reason to doubt me. I know it can't be easy for you to do this day in and day out. How many crazy things do you deal with in a week?" He rubbed at his eyes, his thoughts on Goten. He wanted to go to him and tell him it would be alright, that he didn't do anything wrong. "I don't suppose you could let me talk to Goten, just tell him goodnight?"

She eyed him for a minute then looked at the clock on the wall. "It's still a bit early. I imagine they're eating their dinner. We can see about calling them in a little bit," she answered as she got to her feet. She tugged at her shorts. She was feeling incredibly underdressed and unprofessional. "You don't want to know the things I see in a week."

Goku gave a watery laugh, wiping the tears from his eyes. "You'd be surprised what I've been through, try me. It might be good to get it off your chest? This... I can't even imagine how you deal with it without someone to talk to. This is killing me. I don't know how you keep sane, dealing with multiple cases like this." He nodded to all the pictures on her wall. "Do they haunt you?"

"No," she answered, smiling for the first time as she looked at the pictures on her wall. "Those are all the children I've helped. They're safe now, no matter what they endured. They're what keeps me sane, keeps me going." She kept staring at the pictures, of the shining faces. "You'd be amazed at how resilient children can be. This little girl?" she said pointing to a picture, "Her mother scalded her with hot water. Her father had no idea. They moved away and she's safe again. And this little boy was shaken by his father until his ribs cracked. The mother tried to help him hide it. He was adopted by a very loving couple who couldn't have a child of their own." She looked down at Goku, "The children are what matter to me, Mr. Son. All that matters to me is protecting them."

Goku looked horrified as she spoke, but smiled as she told the happy ending for them, "You are like their guardian angel." He smiled brightly at her, "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking earlier. I should have known better to spar with him. You don't like violence in any way, shape or form. I see that now. I just had to find some way to make sure you didn't punish him for doing what we do by keeping him away."

"I would never punish him," she said softly, turning away from the wall to look at him. "I'm just trying to protect him."

He smiled appreciatively at her. Good. At least someone was trying to help his son. All he had seemed to do was make it worse. "How did you get into this kind of work?"

"I just always wanted to help those who couldn't help themselves," she said. "My brother's the same way. Our parents always taught us to stand up for those who are too weak to do it themselves, to help those less fortunate."

Goku smiled at her, "Your parents must be proud of you. It's kind of what I do. Protecting the earth and all that. Not all aliens that come to earth are friendly. It's exciting isn't it? To know you are a protector? A guardian angel watching over those under your care?" He lightly chuckled, "You remind me of Kami and of Dende. You hope for peace and safety for all." He swallowed and smiled at her, "Please come back out to the cabin tomorrow. I want to show you some things. Maybe teach you some protective marital arts. It might help you protect some of the children you look after and... maybe you'd like to meet the Guardian of Earth?"

"I can't tomorrow," Rose answered. "I have to take Goten to visit his mother." She looked apologetic as she said it. "But... perhaps the next day? It's my day off. I wouldn't have Goten with me, though. That's probably inappropriate for me to be there without him." She chewed her lip again. "Although meeting the Guardian of Earth would be interesting. I... wasn't aware that the earth had a guardian." Rose blushed as her stomach rumbled. "Excuse me. I haven't eaten supper yet. I was just getting ready to order some food," she said, walking towards her kitchen. "Would you... would you care to join me? I always eat alone. I never have guests."

Goku chuckled and nodded, "I'll try not to eat everything in sight." He winked at her, following her into the kitchen. "And if you wanted to come by the cabin that's fine, too, but whatever you feel is best. And I think you'll like Dende. He lives up at the Lookout with jenny and Piccolo and their two girls."

"The guardian is a Namek?" she asked, picking up her cell phone. Goku nodded. "More aliens," she muttered and dialed the number to the nearest restaurant. She placed a huge order and cringed when she had to give her credit card number. "No," she laughed into the phone, "No party. Just... unexpected company. Okay. Thank you." She stashed her phone in her purse and met Goku's curious stare. "They know me pretty well. I never learned to cook."

She gestured to the tall stool at the kitchen bar. "Have a seat. You want some coffee?" She busied herself with making a fresh pot, feeling nervous, like she had to keep moving. "Tell me about your oldest son," she said, trying to sound somewhat professional.

Goku was touched as he sat down at the little bar. "You didn't have to do that. Now you have to come out to the cabin. I can stop by here and pick you up. We can visit Dende first and then go to the cabin. Would you like to fly again?"

Rose shook her head at the prospect of flying again. "I'm afraid of heights," she muttered.

He smiled as she asked about his son and started telling her all kinds of stories about how Gohan married Lindsey. How he just had his first son. Goku was a proud grandparent. Gohan was nearly finished with his schooling and yes, he was as strong as him and his appetite almost as big as his own.

She listened with interest to his stories about his son. "You don't look old enough to be a grandpa!" she protested as she went to the door and collected several bags of food from the delivery person. She set them on the counter and began to empty the bags. "Help yourself," she said, taking only one small container for herself.

He chuckled at her, "Remember that thing I said about not aging? Fools everyone. But still, I'm only in my thirties!" Goku looked at her for confirmation before he opened up a container and grabbed a pair of chopsticks, "I got married really young; I was ateenager." He laughed to himself, "I thought a wedding was a type of food!" He laughed again and began to eat. He chewed for a moment; he was spoiled for Sabriena's food, but he appreciated a meal where ever he could get one. "Thanks for getting dinner! This is really good!" He shoveled some more into his mouth, "You want me to leave you some leftovers?"

"Eat as much as you want," Rose answered and sat nervously next to him, staring across the bar into her living room. "Do you and your sons ALWAYS eat this much? At every meal?"

He nodded, swallowing his mouthful of food, "Every meal like it's our last. One of my friends, who is not an alien, called us a bottomless pit once." He cringed as he thought of Krillin. "Was not an alien," he corrected himself. He polished off the container and reached for another one, inhaling the delicious scent first before he tucked in, "I know it's a lot, just can't help myself." He chuckled, "We have healthy appetites." He paused, "Which does make Sabriena worry. This will be my first winter with them, I'm hoping I don't eat them out of house and home. She and Tien don't like to eat store bought food, but I can, so we went to the store and bought a bunch of food to put into the root cellar. We should be okay once I get a little better at hunting. You know, I brought down a bear this summer? That was a lot of fun to hunt." He swallowed another mouthful of food, "You said you don't have guests over very often, can I ask if you have dinner with your parents or brother at least? Boyfriend?"

"I see my parents on weekends sometimes," she answered. "My brother's not here. He's in Africa right now. He's part of The Water Project. He's helping villages there build wells and learn how to clean their water. I'm really proud of him." She paused and took a bite of food, chewing it slowly for a moment. "I've never had a boyfriend," she admitted sheepishly.

Goku blinked at her like she'd grown a second head, "Never? You... you just haven't found the right guy yet, right? I can't imagine the guys staying away, you're kind, you work hard. You care for others instead of yourself. And you're pretty, too! Even Sabriena thought so. Surely there's someone who's got your eye!"

She pushed her glasses up on her nose and shook her head, a blush creeping across her cheeks. "I've always focused on my career. I only have one friend; I don't see a lot of her. I don't go out. It's hard to meet someone when all you do is work and sleep." She gave a slight laugh. "Oh well."

Goku laughed, "Well, I know why you work so hard, but remember to take a day for yourself here and there. You'll go crazy otherwise." He ate some more, "Now you have to come out to the cabin. Think of it as a relaxing day. Sort of. Just watch out that the goat doesn't eat you. You can dress down, go swimming. Read a book. Whatever you like. I'll be out here, ah, what time do you think you'd be ready to go?"

She blinked at him. She was torn. It did sound like a nice time, but she wasn't sure how much trouble she could get in if someone from her work found out. "Mr. Son, you really think that's appropriate? I mean, I want to go... I REALLY want to go. I haven't been swimming in ages."

Goku grinned at her, "Okay, what would you normally do on your day off? Stay at home? If no one saw you leaving, who would be the wiser? If anyone asks why you didn't come to the door, say you were sleeping with earplugs in. I can come in here like I did today and we can leave the same way. No flying, just instant transmission."

She bit her lip. "No flying? You promise?"

Goku laughed and took his finger and made an X over his heart, "Cross my heart." He looked like a little kid when he leaned across the table with his hand up as if he were trying to keep the neighbors from hearing and whispered loudly, "I won't tell if you don't." He laughed out loud, bubbly and warm. He was feeling much better now that he sat down and talked to her. Like a giant weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He looked at her and smiled, a serious look settling on his face after a moment. "But really, thank you for listening. I know it's not easy to do when I just randomly pop up, but thank you."

"I'm glad you came," she answered earnestly. "Really. I almost made a very bad decision." She drew a long breath, "I guess it wouldn't hurt if I came to visit you again. You can come get me whenever it suits you. I get up early and I'll be here all day, just going over casework." She paused and took a long drink. "Even on my days off, all I do is work," she muttered to herself.

Goku smiled. "These kids mean the world to you. I think that's why I like you so much. You have a kind heart. I'm not sure how many parents thank you. You really are just looking out for the kids they should have been taking care of from the moment they were born. So thank you. For all of them." He looked down at the empty cartons on the table, "Let me help you clean up." He stood and gathered up the trash and took it over the garbage can he spied in the corner.

Rose wiped her eyes. No parent had ever told her thank you before. Most of them just tolerated her long enough to get their children back. And the ones who lost custody certainly never thanked her. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "You're the first," she said, reaching for her glass again.

Goku went back over to her, kneeling beside her, seeing the unshed tears in her eyes. "Hey now, none of that," he said as he reached up and brushed them away, "Now I don't want you to think I came over here to convince you to give me Goten back. I want you to do your job and place him where you think is best. But I couldn't sit by and let him be taken away from me on a misunderstanding." He smiled at her before he stood up and stretched, looking around, "Is there anything else I can do around here to help thank you for that wonderful meal? Dishes or cleaning or something?"

She laughed. "There's no dishes. I don't cook." She stood as well. "I just come here to eat and sleep, mostly. It stays pretty clean. Thanks for offering, though. I'll probably just watch a movie until I get tired enough to go to bed..." she trailed off again, wondering how inappropriate it would be to invite him to stay and watch a movie with her. Now that she wasn't so afraid of him, she rather enjoyed having his company.

"Alright then," he smiled down at her, "Ah, if you could... if you call Goten later or when you see him tomorrow, could you tell him I said hi? I'd appreciate it. It wasn't his fault today, it was mine. I'd hate to see him depressed because of my mistake." He shuffled his feet around, "Guess I'd better get back to the cabin. I kinda left without telling them where I was going. They're probably wondering if I got arrested or something," he laughed, "I'll get out of your hair."

She watched him prepare to go. "You can stay!" she blurted out. Rose felt her face go ten shades of red. "W-Well... I mean... I guess not, if they're expecting you... Sorry." She looked at her feet, scrunching her toes in the carpet.

Goku blinked at her innocently before a smile crept over his face, "You really want me to stay?" He felt a twinge of something for this poor girl. How lonely she must be with nothing but these disturbing cases to keep her company. He chuckled, "Tell you what. You pop us some popcorn and I'll pop back and let them know I'm alright. I'll come back here and we can watch a movie together. Sound good?"

"R-Really?" she smiled. "I can do that! I CAN work a microwave at least!" Rose felt giddy for some reason. She never had company; the one friend from high school who she rarely saw anymore. "You don't think they'll mind, do you? I don't want them to be mad."

Goku laughed, "Oh they won't be mad. I just gotta tell them the good news and they'll probably enjoy a few more hours to just themselves." He smiled at her, the way she was excited all of a sudden. There was just something about her. It was like she was buried under all of this work, pain, and loneliness. Did she not even have but one friend? "Be back in a jiffy!" He pressed his two fingers to his forehead and the next second he appeared in the cabin.

He smiled brightly over at Tien and Sabriena who were looking glum. "Hey! Good news! I went to see Rose and I was able to talk to her. She understands now. She's just never seen people hitting a child that ended well."

"So she's not keeping Goten from you?" Tien asked.

Goku shook his head.

"Oh thank the Goddess," Sabriena breathed, her voice shaking as she let her head fall onto her arms on the table. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," she whispered over and over.

Tien sat in thought for a moment. "Maybe I misjudged her. I've been a little too harsh. I suppose I should try to be nicer to her when she's here. She's never going to trust us with Goten if I don't at least attempt to be friendly."

Goku laughed, "Yeah. She's a good person. I, ah... invited her out the day after tomorrow. Just to relax and maybe show her some defensive martial arts moves. She'd like to go swimming, too. And I'm gonna take her to meet Dende. They're both guardians in a way!" He smiled sheepishly at them, "Is... is that alright?"

"Well, if you think it'll help your case, spending more time with her, I guess it couldn't hurt," Tien answered. "Maybe if she got to know you real well, she'd take your side."

Sabriena nodded, "Can't do any more damage than what we did today. You can bring her out."

Goku went over to them. "Thanks guys. I mean it. You've been really awesome today. I couldn't have made it through what happened if I didn't have you two." He leaned over and kissed Sabriena soundly before he pulled back and gave Tien the same attention. He pulled back again with a goofy smile on his lips. "She, ah, invited me to watch a movie with her tonight. So you guys can have some time to yourselves." He winked at them, "I think that jar of honey is still under the bed."

"A movie?" Tien blinked.

"How'd you know about the honey?" Sabriena gasped, turning red. She jumped up and poked at Goku's abs as he backed across the cabin, laughing. "You nosy little Saiyan!" she scolded playfully. "I will tickle you until you scream like a little girl!"

Goku laughed at his wife, looking mischievous. "Oh come on, if it involves food, you know I'm going to find it!" He laughed as she found a ticklish spot under his ribs, "HAHAHA! No fair!" He caught her and spun her around so her back was to him and he held her arms behind her back, "Yeah a movie. Sounds like she hasn't had company in a while. I figured why not? I promise not to try anything funny." He winked at Tien and leaned down to press his lips against Sabriena's ear, "At least not with her." He nibbled on her ear, "Really though, you should see what I could do with one of those jars of preserves and the two of you." He looked at Tien coyly from behind Sabriena's head, his voice low and sultry, "I would devour you both." He let it sink in for a moment for he released her and was goofy once more, calling out, "See you guys later!" And he vanished.

Sabriena's knees buckled. "Oh, that was SO not fair," she breathed as Tien laughed at her.

"You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?" he asked.

"That we should both be naked and coated in honey when he returns?" she asked.

"We're gonna need a LOT more honey," Tien said thoughtfully, touching his chin with his hand.

"Race ya to the cellar," Sabriena challenged.

They looked at each other for a split second and bolted for the door.

* * *

Rose had two big bowls of popcorn sitting on the coffee table and was rummaging through her DVD collection when Goku reappeared in her apartment. She jumped with a high-pitched squeak, then took a deep breath to calm her nerves. "Sorry. Not used to that yet." She turned to her movie collection again. "Anything in particular you'd like to watch? I'm pretty open to anything. I've got comedy, romance, horror..."

Goku shuddered at the horror category. Most of those movies were far too gruesome for his taste and the last time he'd been tricked into watching one, the guy at the end had been pierced with a bunch of needles and pumped full of acid. He scowled as he remembered Vegeta laughing at him as he climbed over the back of the couch at Capsule Corp to hide. "Horror movies scare me. You up for a comedy? I could use something happy after today." His stomach grumbled as he smelled the hot popcorn and he settled down on the soft grabbing a handful and munched on it with a sigh, "Oh, man. I haven't had popcorn in ages! " he smiled over at her.

"This one's pretty funny," Rose said, holding up a DVD. "Have you ever seen _Office Space_ before?"

Goku shook his head. "Can't say that I have! I'll take your word for it that it's good!" He smiled brightly at her, "Lets watch it. You can educate me in movies!" He patted the seat next to him. "Hurry before I eat all the popcorn."

Rose settled onto the small couch next to Goku and pulled the bowl of popcorn into her lap, leaning it slightly towards him to share. She was giggling before the movie even started. She popped a piece of popcorn in her mouth, staring bright-eyed at the TV screen. It was nice to sit here next to someone for a change. Even if that person was a flying, disappearing alien monkey who ate too much. She pulled her feet up on the couch and tucked them under her. "Thanks for coming back, Mr. Son. I never get to watch movies with anyone. This is kinda fun."

Goku settled next to her and laughed, "Yeah, this is fun! Thanks for inviting me back. And if I'm here as a friend, you can call me Goku."

"Goku," Rose said softly, a small smile pulling at her lips. She sat back against the couch, trying not to smile too broadly at the thought of him being her friend. They laughed together as the movie rolled on, sharing the bowls of popcorn. Rose felt her eyes growing heavy and fought to keep them open. It was no use. Her day had been a long and emotional one and now that she was calmed and comfortable, sleep was pulling at her hard. She leaned against the armrest, trying to stay awake, but her eyes slid shut and sleep finally overcame her, the bowl of popcorn slipping slightly, threatening to fall from her hand.

Goku had been reaching for another handful when he saw it slip and he grabbed it quickly before it slipped and made a mess. He chuckled as she slept, standing up and emptying out the rest of the popcorn in the trash. He set the bowls in the sink, washing them quickly before returning to the couch. He found the remote on the floor and clicked the movie off before he carefully picked Rose up to carry her back to her bedroom. It was plain, few more photos of kids she'd helped, her parents and brother in a picture frame on her nightstand. He held her with one arm and pulled back the covers, slipping her between the sheets and covered her back up. He smiled down at her and ran his fingers through her hair once. "Thanks again," he murmured. He felt good. The day had taken a turn for the better and he felt relieved. Goku pressed his fingers to his forehead and vanished, reappearing back at home a moment later.


	15. Honey

Goku reappeared in the cabin, the warm scent of honey hitting his nose.

Tien jumped; he was lying flat on his back on the bed and looked rather sticky. Sabriena looked over at Goku, her eyes wide. She not so discreetly let Tien's length slip from her mouth with a satisfying smack of her lips. Her hair hung in sticky clumps where the honey had stuck to it and honey dripped from her breasts as she sat up. "We, ah, got a little impatient waiting for you," she giggled, licking the corner of her mouth. "Care to join us?"

Goku's mouth went dry and he felt himself harden at the sight of his two loves on the bed, covered in honey. He licked his lips, his eyes drinking in every detail. Vulgar thoughts crossed through his mind and he scrambled to take off his shirt and he nearly stumbled as he got rid of his pants and went over to kneel at the bedside. He reached out and dipped a finger into the honey covering Tien's chest before he slipped the finger in his mouth and sucked it clean. He looked over at Sabriena and caught her face with his hands and pulled her closer, licking her face to her lips and slipped his tongue inside and nearly moaned at the flavor. It was her. Tien, and honey, like the sweetest nectar of the gods and he shivered, pulled back. A string of sweet honey connecting his mouth to hers and he looked back at Tien, his voice heavy, "What were you doing to him?"

Sabriena giggled and leaned close to Goku's ear, "Trying to get some cream to go with all this honey," she murmured.

She trailed her hands over Goku's chest, twirling her sticky fingertips around his nipple, smiling as it firmed at her touch. She lowered her face to suck the sweet substance from her husband's chest, relishing the purr that rumbled from his throat.

Goku shivered at her ministrations, gods but that felt amazing, "You know," he murmured, "You cant have cream without some fruit." He lowered his lips to her ear, her sticky hair brushing his face, "Do we have any berries?" He reached up and moved her hair off of her neck leaning in to suckle at her mark on her neck. He moved his hand and swiped it along Tien's chest gathering some more honey and let his hand drop between sabriena's legs. He pushed her away from him, still kneeling on the floor. She was draped across the bed. He pulled her legs to him and spread them wide, dropping his face to her soft curls and plunging his tongue into the delicious sweetness.

Sabriena gasped as his hot mouth hungrily sucked and licked at her. She tangled her fingers in his hair, matting it with honey. "Tien," she gasped,"On... the counter... berries... ohhh... in a... basket..." She ground herself against Goku's face, pulling roughly at his hair.

Tien jumped up and grabbed the basket, then bumped it against Goku's shoulder and set it on the floor. He didn't know what Goku's plan was, but he liked where this was going. He leaned over Sabriena and began to slowly lick the honey from her breasts, lavishly dragging his tongue across her nipples as she squirmed and moaned deep in her throat.

Goku gave Sabriena a final lick before he pulled back, licking his lips and grinned at Tien. He reached down into the basket and pulled up a raspberry and put it into his mouth before he leaned up and trailed his hand over Tien's shoulder, carefully easing him to lay back down. Moving to lay over him, delighting in the way his sticky skin clung to him. He trailed each hand up one of Tien's arms to grasp his wrists, moving them above his head. He leaned down and captured Tien's mouth with his own, slipping the berry into Tien's mouth as he did, their tongues battling fiercely. He summoned a little bit of harmless energy down his arms to encapsulate Tien's wrists, binding him to the bed. He pulled back with a smug grin on his face, lust evident, "Not too tight...is it husband?" He moved off of him, and pulled on Tien's legs so he was center in the bed. Plenty of room above his head and between his legs. He smiled wickedly over at Sabriena, "What do you think dear. Bindings on his feet?

"Oh, most definitely," she grinned.

"You guys," Tien growled in warning. This wasn't what he had in mind. He'd never been restrained like this before and he wasn't sure if he would like it.

"C'mon, baby," Sabriena purred as she crawled up his chest. "You can trust us." She leaned down and pressed her lips to his, kissing him long and slow. She wrapped her hand around his hard length, sliding her hand up and down to tease him.

Tien's hips jerked up to meet her stroke, his face screwing up for a moment. "Okay," he breathed.

She looked at Goku, a seductive smile pulling at her lips. "Well go ahead." She turned to lay over Tien, straddling his chest, giving him a full view of her wet sex as she lightly licked at his hard length.

Tien lifted his head off the bed for her, but found his bindings kept his face from reaching her body. "Scoot back," he ordered.

"Nuh-uh," she answered, swaying her hips slowly side-to-side to taunt him as she continued to kiss and nip at his cock. A smirk pulled at her lips as her eyes met Goku's.

Goku leaned down, nuzzling Tien's leg as he bound them, spreading his legs apart. He mouth was watering at the idea that was forming in his head and he leaned down and pulled up the basket of the berries and the jar of honey. He handed the jar to Sabriena, "He looks like he's lacking a little bit of this..." He reached out and grasped Tien's length, holding it upright in his grasp, reaching over and taking a berry and placing it on the top of the erection before he leaned down and swallowed his mouth over it, bursting the berry with his tongue and letting the juices slide down the impressive cock. He moaned around the flesh in his mouth, pulling back lightly, his lips moving against the head, "Gods Tien...you taste so good."

Tien arched his back, a low moan escaping his lips. "Oh god," he breathed, pulling harder on the restraints. Goku's mouth was hot and wet on his aching flesh, and the feel of his lips brushing against the head of his cock made Tien's toes curl.

"I wanna taste," Sabriena said, her hazel eyes boring into Goku's dark ones as she opened her mouth and wrapped her tongue around the head of Tien's shaft. She reached for Goku, pulling him into a kiss with Tien's cock between their lips. Their tongues danced together, brushing against each other, licking over Tien.

Oh gods, what sweet torture this was. Tien panted and groaned as both of his mates licked and sucked at his length. "You guys," he whined. The feel of both their hot mouths on him drove him crazy. And what was even worse, he couldn't do anything to reciprocate. Sabriena's wet sex still hovered temptingly before his face, her sweet scent of honeysuckle intoxicating to him, and all he could do was lie there and moan helplessly.

Goku reached up and into the honey jar, coating his fingers, drizzling the sweet substance between their mouths, over Tien's shaft. He pulled Sabriena's mouth from Tien, popping a berry into her mouth and then kissed her again before descending upon Tien's flesh once again. licking him clean, bumping against Sabriena as he did so. He was so hard, he could feel himself leaking but he wanted to please Tien first. He pushed Sabriena back, winking at her as he moved her to sit over Tien's face. He dipped into the jar again and reached back, stretching himself with the honey briefly before he moved up, positioning Tien's thickness at his entrance and pressed down, unable to stop his moan as he felt Tien slip in and he sank down on to Tien's body. He dipped his fingers into the honey and painted over Tien's chest before sprinkling more of the berries over Tien. Placing the berries over each nipple, all over his abdomen, a few in his belly button. He took some honey and coated his own hardness, groaning as he did so, sticking a few berries on himself before he ground against Tien.

Tien moaned loudly against Sabriena's body as he felt Goku's tight ass slide over his cock. He was sticky with honey, adding more friction than Tien was used to. He shuddered violently as his tongue delved into Sabriena's sweetness. Oh, he could have stayed like this for hours, Goku grinding on him, Sabriena sitting on his face. He growled again, sucking harder at her as he tried to thrust up into his husband.

Sabriena gasped and her eyes lit up as she watched Goku. Holy shit, that was incredible to see, watching him impale himself on Tien. She could see Goku's essence dripping from the tip of his shaft. She leaned forward and lapped it up with the lightest flick of her tongue. She swallowed it down, purring at the delicious flavor. She licked along Tien's abs, capturing a berry here and there, reveling in the delicious textures, tastes and sensations. She slowly worked closer to Goku, his impressive length just begging to be sucked. She slowly and deliberately nibbled the berries that clung to his sticky flesh, daring to let her teeth brush against him, lightly biting him. His throaty gasps only encouraged her further. He was grinding hard on Tien as she finally made her way up his length and wrapped her lips around him. She playfully nipped him again, testing his reaction as her teeth raked the sensitive head.

Goku bucked up into her mouth, the sensations were almost too much for him. Tien deep within his body, Sabriena's warm mouth, her teasing lips and her teeth grating over his sensitive flesh. He cried out, clamping down his muscles on Tien while he tried to prevent himself from coming too soon. A small bit of his essence slipped out of him as he fought to control himself.

He found a pace, sliding into Sabriena's mouth before drawing back and fucking himself on Tien's cock. It was sticky, it was sweet, it was so perfect. Food and sex. Why hadn't he ever thought of this before? Finding the jar of honey under the bed had set his mind ablaze with ideas and he knew it was their thing, but this, he was glad they shared. He reached out and rubbed Sabriena's back as his thrusts became more and more frantic, he wasn't going to last long at all.

Tien was practically screaming against Sabriena's body as Goku thrust himself upon Tien's length. He felt him clench and thought for sure Goku was finished, but he continued, his pace increasing. Sabriena was so delicious, he smiled against her body. She prided herself on being such a good cook, but she herself was the most amazing dessert. Goku's body was pulling at him, so incredibly tight, sticky, hot. He felt himself tense. He was so very, very close.

Sabriena swallowed around Goku's cock, pressing her face against the soft, inky black curls at the base of him, drinking in the scent of him and the honey, letting him thrust freely into her mouth, suckling him as deeply as she could. She wanted him to come, to spill his hot seed down her throat. Tien was furiously licking and sucking at her. She was so close to that edge. All she needed was to taste Goku, to drink him in as the orgasm hit her. She sucked harder, trying to pull that hot liquid from the depths of his body.

Goku's vision went white as Tien's length hit that special bundle of nerves within his body that made him see spots and he thrust up into Sabriena's mouth. She was devouring him, trying to suck his very soul from him for sure. She could have it, he thought. She could have every last bit of him. So long as she shared with Tien. One last thrust into her mouth and he let himself tip over that edge, a strangled cry forced from his mouth as he came. He impaled himself deeper onto Tien, wanting to feel that hot cream spill deep inside of him. He threaded his fingers into Sabriena's hair as she milked every last drop from him.

Tien felt Goku clench tighter and let himself go over that edge, shooting his seed deep into Goku's body with a powerful thrust. Sabriena went tense against his face, screaming around Goku's length, a tiny bit of liquid dripping from her body which Tien hungrily drank up before he collapsed back against the bed. He was panting, his chest heaving, his entire body aching and sticky. "Why do you two DO THIS to me?"

Sabriena gave Goku's length one last, long suck as she pulled away from him and swallowed the thick cream in her throat. She pressed her lips to the still hard shaft, kissing it lovingly as Goku's body began to relax. "Thank you," she purred to Goku and kissed him deeply before she slid off of Tien's chest and kissed him in the same slow, loving way. "And thank you," she said to him.

Goku shivered as he let Tien slip from his body, canceling out the energy binding him before he let himself collapse to the side. He was sticky, sated and just overall content with them both. He leaned over Tien's body, licking up the last few berries and honey he saw before letting his mouth close over Tien's in a firm kiss before he pulled back to look him in the eyes with a smirk, "Tell me you didn't like that."

Tien smirked and gave Goku a playful shove. "Hush."

Sabriena was panting, her elbows resting on her knees, her hands in her sticky, matted hair. "II am never going to get these stains out of these sheets," she muttered.

Tien laughed, the sound rumbling up from his chest. He reached over and ruffled her hair, his hand sticking in it briefly. He stretched and got unsteadily to his feet. "Come on. We need to get cleaned up. It's warm. How about a soak in the river? We can sleep outside tonight."


	16. Not Fooling Anyone

Goten stared outside the car as Rose took him to his mother's house. He swung his legs back and forth against the seat. She had told him his daddy had stopped by last night and explained things, so he was happy she'd take him to see him again very soon.

"What's the matter, Goten?" Rose asked, looking in the rear view mirror at the little boy in the backseat of her car. "You're being very quiet. We're going to see your mom today. Aren't you excited?"

Goten shrugged his shoulders. "I'd rather go see my daddy," he admitted, "and Sabriena promised me she'd teach me how to milk a cow!"

Rose blinked her eyes as she looked in the mirror. "You really want to milk a cow?" She turned into the driveway in front of the perfect little suburban house that belonged to Mrs. Son. The yard was beautifully landscaped with flowers and shrubs. Rose stepped out and opened the door for Goten, who reluctantly stepped out of the vehicle.

"Oh, Goten!" Chichi cried, running across the yard and wrapping her arms around him. "Oh, my baby! I've missed you!"

Goten tried not to cringe as his mom wrapped her arms around him, he hugged her back. Maybe she wasn't mad today. "Hi, Momma. I missed you too. I've been real good! The family I'm with are nice people. They are taking good care of me."

Chichi stood up and smiled at Rose. "Thank you so much for bringing him by. When will you be picking him up?"

Rose maintained her smile, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Son, I can't leave him alone with you. I'm going to be here with you all today." It never amused her when the parents tried to dismiss her like that, as if she would leave these children unattended with the family members who had possibly hurt them. And it was amazing how many of these parents tried the same techniques, said the exact same things, made up the same excuses. The ridiculous part was that they all thought they were being original. She nearly sighed.

Chichi frowned. "Oh that's just silly," she protested. "I'm his mother. I don't need to be supervised with my son!"

"Well, the law says otherwise," Rose replied softly but firmly. Chichi opened her mouth to protest again, but Rose cut across her, "Goten, would you like to show me your room?"

Goten smiled widely and grabbed her hand, "Yeah! Come on! Mom is it okay if we cook for her? She's a veggietarian!" He tugged on Rose, "Lets go play after I show you my room. You like tag?"

"I love tag!" Rose grinned, letting Goten drag her in the house, followed closely by Chichi. It was exactly as it had been the last time she'd visited. Magazine-perfect, immaculately spotless. She vaguely wondered if anyone was allowed to do anything inside this house except sit or clean. She almost expected to see the furniture covered in clear plastic.

"She's a what?" Chichi asked and Goten repeated his words. "You mean vegetarian," Chichi said, drawing out the last word and speaking a little louder. "I see."

"You don't have to fix me anything," Rose said, "I brought a lunch."

"Well that's good," Chichi stated, "I don't have the income to be feeding you government workers. No offense meant of course, but I'm sure you understand. Being a single mother isn't easy. It's quite stressful, especially when the father of your children is a jobless bum."

Rose watched her with a polite expression, but something about the way she spoke about Goku didn't set well with Rose. He hadn't spoken a mean word about her. And even when he almost did, he would always stop himself and rephrase his words. But not Mrs. Son. She seemed all too eager to point out Mr. Son's faults.

Goten tugged at Rose's hand and she looked down at him, and then around at his room. "Oh wow!" Rose said excitedly, "Look at all your toys!"

Goten chuckled, "Yeah, they're okay. Momma keeps buying them for me...even though I've been asking her for a cookbook and some cooking stuff! Some of the board games are fun though!" He looked around, his mom had put his toys in little labeled bins...if he took them out, they all had to go into the bins before he went to sleep. He smiled up at Rose, "Okay, lets go outside and play!"

"Don't you want your mommy to come play with us?" Rose asked and looked over at Chichi.

"No, I have some housework to finish up. You two go ahead," Chichi said.

Goten tugged at Rose's hand and she allowed him to pull her out the back door. "Goten," she said quietly as he skipped across the grass, "Does your mommy play with you?"

Goten shook his head, "Momma says she doesnt have time for games and she says I should be focused more on studies instead of goofing off all the time. After I get my homework done I can play though! It's usually only for an hour or so." He smiled at her, "Lets play!"

He and Rose chased each other around for a while. It didn't seem like it was long enough, the time passed by in an instant.

"Goten! Your lunch is ready!" Chichi finally called through the open window. "I made your favorite!"

Rose turned to smile at Goten, but he cringed. "Come on," she said encouragingly. "Your mom says it's your favorite."

Goten shook his head, but headed up towards the house, "She thinks meatloaf is my favorite. I keep telling her I love pasta, but she doesn't seem to hear me." He ran up to the house and held the door open for Rose, closing it after himself and he went to the table and climbed into his chair, looking to see meatloaf sitting on his plate. A glass cup next to his plate filled with water. He smiled over at his mom, "Looks great momma."

Chichi smiled. "Thank you, Goten," she said in an overly polite voice and she sat at the table.

Rose tried not to gag at the sight of the meat. It looked greasy, the sauce on top bubbling and dripping down the sides. She supposed it might've looked enticing to some people, but not to her. She just couldn't understand how people could eat the flesh of another living creature. It was practically cannibalism as far as she was concerned. "Please excuse me for a moment, won't you?" she said, "My lunch is in the car." She hurried out the front door, thinking that even the braised rabbit that Sabriena had prepared seemed less brutal than that meatloaf.

"Are you being good?" Chichi asked Goten once Rose was out of the house. "You keeping quiet? You know there are certain things you're not supposed to talk about, Goten. Family business means family only. You don't want to cause problems for our family, do you? I'd better not hear of you telling anyone what goes on in this house. That's no one else's concern. You understand me, mister?"

Goten nodded and looked down at his plate, "Yes, Momma." He swallowed harshly and reached for his glass of water to take a drink. He was shaking, he knew that tone in Momma's voice. She wasn't happy. "I am happy to be back home, Momma." He moved to set his cup back on the table, but his hand was shaking, he clenched a little too tightly and the glass snapped under his strength, spilling water everywhere. His eyes went wide and he looked over at Chichi fearfully, "I'm sorry, Momma! I'll clean it up." He grabbed his napkin and started mopping up the liquid

"OH GOTEN!" she snapped. "Why can't you ever get through one meal without making a mess?" She huffed and got to her feet. "No! NO! Let me do it! You won't do it right," she said, grabbing a hand towel and mopping up the mess. She picked up the pieces of broken glass and tossed them in the trash, all the while hissing at Goten that he was useless, that he was too much like his father, that she was sick of cleaning up after a monster who did nothing but break things and make her work harder.

Goten's eyes started watering as he cowered back in his chair, "I'm sorry, Momma. It was an accident! I didn't mean to! Please, let me help, I can do it! You dont have to work so hard Momma, please let me help you!" He reached to move his plate out of his mother's way, but she turned to fling more glass into the trash can and he flinched, dropping the plate on the ground.

* * *

Rose grabbed her lunchbox and trotted back into the house, a smile on her full lips as she thought about playing in the backyard with Goten. It had been fun to kick off her shoes and run through the grass with him. She wondered what Barb would think of that. She'd disapprove, Rose was sure, but poor little Goten didn't have anyone else here to play with and his mother had seemed too busy with housework to do it.

She couldn't help but let her mind drift to tomorrow when Mr. Son... Goku, she corrected herself... would come to pick her up. It was highly unprofessional, she knew that, but the draw of having an actual friend who was interested in who she was; it was too good to pass up. Rose entered the house just as she heard a plate clatter to the floor.

"DARN IT, GOTEN!" Chichi shouted. Rose hurried to the kitchen, just in time to see Goten flinch as Chichi screamed at him. Chichi's arm jerked as Rose said, "Goten! What happened?"

Chichi froze and turned, her face furious for a moment before she schooled her expression. She answered with a sigh, "He's a bit clumsy. You'll have to excuse the mess." And she bent to clean up the spilled food on the floor.

"It's okay," Rose said to Chichi and walked to Goten's side. He looked frightened as tears welled up in his dark eyes. "Hey, it was an accident," she said softly, rubbing his hair. "You don't have to look so sad."

Goten nodded and wiped at his eyes cowering on his chair, leaning into Rose as he looked at the edge of the table, trying not to make any more sudden moves. Trying not to break anything. He didn't want Momma to hit him, he didn't want her to get the switch out. He choked on a whimper as he thought about how embarrassing it would be if he was spanked in front of Miss Rose. He wanted to go to the cabin, he wanted to go see his daddy. He even wanted to go back to his foster home. He looked up at Rose while Chichi was busy cleaning up the mess, trying to convey his thoughts to her without speaking.

Rose bent and picked up the plate, breathing hard through her nose at the sight of the splattered meatloaf. She carried it to the sink to wash and dry it quickly, then returned it to the table. Chichi had the floor cleaned and served Goten a fresh piece of meatloaf. Rose sat down at the little table and pulled out the salad she'd packed. She watched as Goten picked at his food; he didn't have nearly the appetite today as he had yesterday. He looked sad and timid. Rose tried not to frown as she ate; she'd seen the movement of Chichi's hand just before she'd realized Rose was in the house. Was she planning on striking Goten in that moment? It had certainly seemed so. Although she didn't want to see Goten get hurt, Rose almost wished Chichi had done it. It would've made this whole mess so much easier. She could've gotten Goten away from his mother that afternoon and returned him to his father within the week.

She rolled her eyes at her own thought process. It was never that easy. Never.

Chichi was eating her dinner, her eyes on her plate. "Are you keeping up with your studies, Goten?" she asked.

Goten nodded, "Yes, Momma. I've been doing good, I complete it every day before I go to bed. My momma at the new house checks it in the morning for me." He swallowed and looked up, not quite looking at her, "Momma, would it be alright if I could get a cookbook? I would like to start learning how to cook."

"A cookbook?" Chichi asked, looking across the table at him. "Why on earth would you want something like that? Boys don't need to learn how to cook. That's what you'll have a wife for, after you graduate from college and get a good career as a doctor, like your brother."

"But I like to cook," Goten protested. "Sabriena's been showing me. She taught me how to make pasta and she showed me how to flip pancakes and make pizza! It's a lot of fun and I wanna surprise her the next time I go see her!"

A muscle ticked in Chichi's jaw. "Don't pay attention to her," she said firmly. "She's nothing but trouble. Don't let her fill your head with silly ideas like that. Like I said, you're going to become a doctor, just like Gohan." Chichi paused and sighed, "Well, your brother did things a little backwards, of course. Now he's trying to get through school with that wife of his and a baby." She looked over to Rose, "I really did try my best with him. And he IS in medical school. He's advancing so quickly! The Dean let him take extra classes since he's so smart! He just... let his judgement be clouded when it came to choosing a wife."

"You don't approve of your daughter-in-law?" Rose asked. "May I ask why?"

Chichi sighed dramatically. "She's a bit of a trouble maker." She put up a hand and stage-whispered, "She's an addict. She claims she's clean now, but I still wonder. She had an overdose on cocaine."

Rose's eyes went wide. THAT was the house Goku wanted his son to go to if he couldn't take Goten himself? This was getting worse and worse, the more she delved into this family. While she liked Goku very much, she was still not one hundred percent sold on the whole martial arts thing. And she could definitely see that Goten had a fear of his mother, which was a huge red flag when it came to investigations. Now, there was the added problem of the daughter-in-law, if she had a drug problem. "Do you like your brother's wife?" Rose asked Goten.

Goten nodded, "Momma, remember? Daddy helped Lindsey with her problem! He was gone for a long time, but when he came back, Lindsey was all better." He smiled, "I have a new nephew! I cant wait til he's bigger! Then we can play together!"

Chichi rolled her eyes again. "Yes, yes, that BABY," she huffed. "I've never seen grown men make such a fuss," she said to Rose.

Rose couldn't help but smile, "Yes, your ex-husband certainly seemed fond of your grandson."

"That's the understatement of the year," Chichi muttered. "Anyway, enough about that. So how long until Goten can come home?"

Rose chewed slowly and lowered her hand. "Well, I still have a lot of work to do," she answered. "I have to take my time to make sure I make the right decision for Goten. I have to know which home is better suited for him and I have to figure out who hurt him."

Chichi looked furious, "Oh, as if you can't tell it was Goku! Or that... that..." her voice dropped to a hissing whisper, "HUSBAND... of his. Tien Shinhan is a brute of a man. It wouldn't surprise me if he'd done it. Of course they'd be the ones to report this and try to paint me in a bad light. They corrupted my son's father and now they're trying to steal my son from meeeee!" She finished in a wail and dropped her face to her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.

Rose's eyes went wide and she looked over at Goten, trying to gauge his reaction to his mother's accusations. Where on earth had that come from? She'd seen parents who had tried to garner sympathy from her before, but none of them had been quite so theatrical about it. It was almost comical the way Mrs. Son sobbed and sniffled, covering her face with her hands. Surely no one had ever fallen for this act.

Goten swallowed hard, Momma was lying, but she said not to tell anyone, "Momma..." He shook his head, opening his mouth to say something else, but the fierce look from her had him shutting it again. What would she do to him if he told Rose the truth? He couldn't suppress the shudder that went through his body. He'd told Gohan what happened and then he'd been taken to that old lady who let the marks show again. He'd told the officer at Capsule Corp what happened, and the next thing Goten knew, he was being taken from his family. No. He wasn't going to tell anyone else ever again what had happened. Bad things happened when he did what his mother told him not to do.

Rose looked curiously at Goten. She didn't know what kind of a fool Chichi took her for, but she hadn't gone to college for six years for nothing. It was pretty easy for her to read body language, even when people thought they were hiding it. That's why she'd trusted Goku so easily. And that was why she was now convinced that Chichi was Goten's abuser. She just didn't have enough evidence to prove her case yet. Rose packed her lunch away. "Mrs. Son, you seem to be having a bad day," Rose said kindly. "I think maybe it's best if we called it a day. I'll be speaking with the foster parents and arrange a visitation time for you. I promise I'll try to resolve this situation as quickly as I can."

Chichi blinked up at her. "You're taking my son away again?" There it was. That look parents gave her as if she delighted in snatching children from their homes.

"I promise I'll get everything sorted out as fast as I can," Rose emphasized. "Goten, are you ready to go?"

Goten nodded slowly, looking back at Chichi, "Bye, Momma." He stiffly moved to give her a hug. seeming to pull away as quickly as he was able that was still considered polite. He took Rose's hand and walked with her out to the car, not shedding a tear as he did. He climbed into the car and looked up at Rose with big, innocent eyes. He was grateful she walked in when she did.

Rose leaned on the car door, her face close to Goten's. She spoke softly, "You know, your foster parents aren't expecting you home until later. You wanna grab an ice cream and go play at the park for a little bit?"

Goten's face lit up like the sun and he nodded excitedly, "Yes, please Miss Rose! I'd like that a lot!" He smiled bounced in his seat, watching Rose as she climbed into the car and took off. He didn't even think to look back as his mother as her house disappeared into the distance.


	17. Voice of the Dragon

Rose awoke early the next morning, excited about her day off. Goku had promised to come get her as soon as his morning chores were done. She slipped on her red vintage-looking swimming suit with the tiny white polkadots and pulled on a jean skirt and a red halter top over it. She hoped it wasn't too revealing. She didn't want problems from Mrs. Shinhan, although Rose had to admit, she dressed a little provocatively herself. Rose slipped on her high heeled sandals and grabbed her purse, then sat on the couch to wait. Time seemed to drag by and she kept looking at the clock, which seemed to have died. She sighed. Maybe they didn't want her to come after all. She was playing with her oversized white sunglasses when she heard Goku's voice.

Goku appeared in Rose's apartment a little after nine in the morning. He had just finished his morning chores and cleaned up as best he could before disappearing and popping into her living room, "Morning there! Sorry I'm a little late. The rooster was in a mood this morning!" He saw she had dressed ready for a day of relaxing, he hadn't seen her so dressed down before...well...save for that night he came over and talked, and watched the movie, "I told Dende yesterday we were going to stop by to say hi. You ready to go?"

"Dende?" she asked, "You mean the guardian of earth?" Goku gave a nod. "Well, sure, I guess," Rose said, shouldering her purse. "So, uh, how does this work?"

He grinned and he stepped closer to her, "Just hold onto me, close your eyes if you get dizzy easily." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pressing his fingers to his forehead and suddenly, they were high up in the air, standing on the edge of the Lookout, way above the world. He held her carefully, "Oh, got us a little close to the edge. Don't freak out when you open your eyes. I've got you."

Rose carefully cracked an eye open and clung to Goku's neck. "A little?" she squeaked, scrambling backwards, still holding onto him, practically dragging him with her. Her heart hammered in her chest and her stomach twisted in knots. They were above the clouds. If Rose didn't have better manners, a long line of curse words would have escaped from her mouth.

Goku carried her away from the edge chuckling, "Sorry about that. Here we go. You can't see over the edge any more!" He looked up as he heard a high pitched squeal and a sudden shouting

"GoGo!" Paige cried and he smiled as a little namek came running towards him.

He set Rose down on the tiled floor and leaned down and caught the little girl, "Hi there Paige! You've gotten big!" He tickled her and she giggled at him, "Papaw taught me Fina Fash better, wanna see? He say it show you!" She laughed all bubbly.

Goku chuckled at her, "Maybe another time cutie, have you seen Dende? I brought someone to see him."

Paige nodded enthusiastically and squirmed until Goku put her back down and she ran off at full speed into the structure, "DEN DEN! DENNDENN!"

"Ohhhhh my gosh," Rose gushed. "She is, without a doubt, one of the CUTEST kids I've ever seen!" She watched Paige run across the big tiled floor and found herself walking after the little Namek. She couldn't help it; it had become so ingrained in her to constantly keep an eye on the children.

Dende was on the other side of the lookout making his rounds about the whole area. He paused when he heard Paige calling for him and he couldn't help but shake his head, smiling over his shoulder as the little girl appeared. "DEN DEN! Gogo here to see you! Dere's a strange lady wid him!"

He smiled down at her, reaching down and ruffling her hair, "Is he now?" He looked up as a new face appeared from the same place that Paige had come from, Goku appearing behind her. He smiled at his friend, "Goku. I thought I heard your name on the wind." He turned from the edge and walked over to him, hugging the man, "How are you holding up? Piccolo told me what was going on. I'm sorry to hear about all that."

Goku patted him on the back and stood back, smiling at him, "Don't worry about it. Goten is in good hands." He motioned to Rose, "She's been looking out for him. She's Rose… ah..." He scratched the back of his head. "Do you have a last name?"

Dende turned to face Rose, smiling at her as he was able to pick up on her thoughts. "Delacour. It is good to meet you." He held out a hand to her, "Guardian to those who cannot stand up for themselves yes? Perhaps even a hero to some. You are welcome here."

"You know me?" Rose asked, nervously shaking his hand. He had a kind, handsome face and she could see a lot of wisdom behind his eyes. The strangest thing happened when her hand touched his. It was as if she was greeting an old friend she hadn't seen in a very long time. "Have we met before?"

Paige was going red in the face trying to say the new name, "Ros… Ross… Roooooooos."

Goku chuckled at her and leaned down, "Hey! Is your daddy home?"

Paige nodded and kicked at the tiles, "He med… medating… Not s'posed to talk to him."

Jenny cursed to herself as she flung open the bathroom door, chucking the pregnancy test into the bathroom trash with a loud clatter. "Worthless, absolutely worthless," she said bitterly, heading over to the area where she knew Piccolo liked to meditate. "You got a vasectomy and didn't tell me, didn't you!?" she loudly accused before she stopped in her tracks at the sight of the guests, "Oh, hey Goku."

Rose blinked wide-eyed at Jenny's outburst. What an incredibly odd thing to accuse someone of. She bit her bottom lip and looked awkwardly between Goku and Dende, hoping one of them said something to smooth it over. She certainly didn't know what to say.

Dende chuckled as Jenny came over to them, "I really wish I didn't have these ears half the time." He looked at her carefully, "Still no baby?"

Goku's eyes lit up, "You're gonna have another baby?! That's great news!" He scratched at his head, "But I thought you swore off having anymore kids after Alice was born?"

"Trying to have a baby is the key word," Jenny said annoyedly, "It figures, the one time we actually choose to have a kid together and I can't get knocked up. Must be something wrong with the husband, I'll have to trade him in for the newer model."

"You'll do no such thing!" came Piccolo's voice from across the Lookout. "And I don't even know what that is that you just accused me of, but I certainly didn't do it!"

Rose clapped a hand to her mouth, refusing to show the amusement on her face. This was hilariously awkward, although she did feel sorry for Jenny's situation. That had to be frustrating.

Paige blinked up at her mother. "New baby?" she asked curiously. "But we has Ally!"

Jenny smiled as sweetly as she could at Paige, "We do, but your daddy and I are trying to make you a little brother!" She huffed, "As soon as I know your brother is on his way, I'll tell you. Gods, I think we've tried everything." She paused, her eyes lighting up, "Hey, I know! Goku, come get Sabriena to walk in on us during the act again. That'll scare the little devils right out of him!"

Goku blinked at her innocently and scratched his head, "Well, okay, but do you really think that'll work?"

Rose turned away, her face going red. She wasn't used to this sort of conversation. Usually she dealt with parents who didn't seem to want their children, not parents who were struggling to have more. She didn't know what to say in this situation. She paused, her curiosity getting the best of her. "Wait, what does Mrs. Shinhan have to do with this?" she asked. She realized her rudeness a moment later and blushed even more. "I… I'm sorry. This is none of my business. Sorry."

Jenny snickered, "Funny story, really. Piccolo and I were getting used to life as new parents, but the romance had kinda gotten lost, so he went and took romantic advice and long story short it ended up with some cheesy, romantic music, you know with the black guy in the background saying oh yeah baby and candles and the works. Well Sabriena walked in on us mid-coitus. Boom, Alice was conceived."

"Oh my!" Rose giggled, her eyes going wide. "Well, ah, I suppose it's worth trying? I really don't know anything about that." She looked at Goku curiously, "Does your wife make it a habit of walking in on people when they're, you know, busy?"

"Only if you count Tien and myself." Goku's face lit up, "Actually, just the other night..."

Dende held up his hand, "No, no. That's okay, I don't need any details on that front. Piccolo jumped off the balcony a few minutes ago anyway."

Goku laughed out loud, "Dang it, I wanted to talk to him. That's okay, I'll go hunt him down. I'll give him some pointers if you want me to, Jenny!" He looked back over at Dende and Rose and asked, "You okay here for a moment Rose?"

"I... uh... yeah, I'm okay," she said. This was awkward. Without her clipboard clutched to her chest and her fancy business suit, Rose felt very out of her element. She didn't meet people on friendly terms. She didn't want Goku to leave her side, but he seemed to need to speak to his friend, so she nodded. "You go ahead. I'll stay here." She looked at Dende, "If that's okay with you?"

Jenny waved her hand at Goku, "Couldn't hurt." She looked back at Dende and Rose, "I'm going to go feed the girls." She said and stalked off towards the kitchen.

Dende waved Goku on, "Go for it." He looked at Rose a moment and motioned for her to follow him as he started his walk around the Lookout again, putting himself between her and the edge, "No, we haven't met, but I can tell a few things about a person when I meet them. My apologies, some find it a bit unnerving." He smiled at her, "You can relax. Leave it to Goku to toss people into new situations and then run off. He has a unique way of thinking. His heart is in the right place. You've been needing to get out more, haven't you?" He smiled knowingly before he laughed and rubbed the back of his head, "So sorry. There's never an off switch for this intuition thing. My apologies. Half the world in one ear and immediate surroundings in the other."

"Maybe a bit," Rose said, grasping the strap of her purse with both hands and looking down at her strappy sandals as she walked. Her heels seemed a little louder than normal on the big white tile. There were a million questions burning her mind, but they all seemed accusatory as she thought them. She pressed her lips together, trying to work out how to start the conversation. Her mind had already returned to her work. "So you're the guardian of Earth. Did... did you know what was happening to Goten?" she finally asked.

Dende looked down, a sadness in his eyes, "I wish I had. I would have been able to if he had visited, but Chichi didn't allow him to come up here. Something about no parent in their right mind would let their kid run around a million miles above the earth with those green aliens." He shrugged at her, "More or less." He sighed, a tired sigh that sounded like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. "To be honest Rose, being guardian probably isn't what you think it is." He stopped and looked over the side at the ground, closing his eyes for a moment, "This far away, I cannot sense individuals on the planet unless I focus very hard on a specific person. Only when a collective voice rises up, during natural crisis or otherwise, do I feel and hear the troubles of the world." He looked over at her, "People like you are needed on the earth. You reach those that I cannot."

There was a sadness in Dende that pulled at Rose's heart. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, "I didn't mean to accuse you of anything." She sighed as they resumed their walk. "I just... I don't understand a lot of what's going on right now. Everyone around Goten seems so intimidating. Their powers," she gave a soft snort, "the size of these men. They're all so confident and they just act like this is perfectly normal." She risked looking at him again, "I love what I do. And I want to help Goten. But this is a LOT to take in. How am I supposed to present this information to a judge without looking like I've completely lost my mind? I could lose my job! All I want to do is help Goten."

Dende smiled warmly at her, "No. Don't worry about it." He listened quietly to her for a moment, a faint smile on his lips, "And Goku thought it would be a good idea to bring you all the way up here to meet me? To be honest, I think it was probably a good idea. All of his friends possess unique powers, and no, only a few of us are aliens. Well, the purebloods anyway. Some are humans that possess a remarkable strength within them. All humans possess that ability. Just few ever see that spark within them. They do not want to see it, so they don't. Most of them have had hard lives, Goku included, but it seems whenever he comes around, good things follow. He saved me from my dying planet, most of his friends were on a bad path and came over to the better side of things with his influence. And you have questions circling around Lindsey. I can tell you she is clean, Goku helped break her addiction." He paused and smiled, "Ah, but this is about you, not them." He looked at her. "You are right, it is a lot to take in. You are still trying to wrap your mind around the fact you are talking to a green alien from who knows where. You want to know how to present this information to the judge, present what you need to, leave out the parts about aliens, powers, feelings. Present what facts you have."

"I... I know it's Mrs. Son who hurt Goten," Rose said. "But I have no evidence of that. I can sense it from her. She's so cold. I don't know how to get the evidence I need, short from letting her hurt him again, which I cannot do." She shook her head in frustration. "She's bound to slip. She almost did yesterday. If I can just get Goten away from her," Rose sighed, "But I don't know if any judge would award custody to Mr. Son... I mean, Goku... either." Rose pushed her glasses up and pinched the bridge of her nose. "What am i doing? I shouldn't be discussing these things with you. I could lose my job. I know better."

Dende had to stop a laugh that passed his lips, "Lose your job for telling me what? I can already hear your soul speaking up. Besides, its not like I'm going any where. I certainly won't be telling any judge anything." He stopped in his walk and pinched the bridge of his nose, just as she had done. "I wish I could tell you what to do. Even if you did leave Goten with her long enough for her to inflict pain upon him again, she would find a way to cover it up before you returned." He looked at her, "You have to decide for yourself what to do." He looked up at her, there was a pain in his eyes. He could sense it in her. Her work helping these children, working with mostly ungrateful parents, and what did she have to show for it? "Do not loose yourself because of this job. You have done great work, but do not let it put out that light within you."

Why was he so easy to talk to? She felt like she wanted to pour her heart out to him, to tell him every horrible case she'd ever encountered. Perhaps it was the way he seemed to already know it. She liked the way he spoke, poetic almost, but real and down to earth. Like her heart had been laid out in a book and he was reading her emotions aloud. "I want to do great work," she said. "Maybe... maybe if I had special powers, I could help these children." She shook her head. What was she talking about? Special powers? Rose had never dreamed that anything like this existed. And now, here she was, walking beside an alien, the guardian of earth, discussing her innermost feelings. She licked her lips and bit the lower one. "I'm afraid of becoming cold," she admitted softly. "I see the other workers, who've been there longer than I have. It's become just a job to them. There's no passion left in them. They're miserable. When I started my career, I had this warm fuzzy feeling of helping the children. I thought it would be easy, standing up for them when they can't do it themselves. I don't want you to take me wrong, I truly love what I do. But like you said, I'm afraid of losing myself in the process."

Dende chuckled, he rather liked this woman. It was a rare occurrence indeed for one of the, for lack of a better word, normal people of earth to find their way up here to him. Of course, everyone that did, in one way or another, knew Goku. That man was a link between worlds. Quite literally. Dende stopped his walking and looked at her, "Sit with me." He plopped down to the ground and looked out over the world, to the far distant horizon. He wondered what Kami would have said in this situation. He would never be Kami. He had to forge ahead on his own, be a good little guardian and watch earth and help those who sought help in return. He looked back at her smiling, "You wish for special powers that you already have you know. It is within your power to help the children that are assigned to you. What you want is a way to make it easy. Something more black and white instead of the grey you see the world in. The lives you save would not mean as much if it were easy, Rose. You would not get to know these children you come to hold dear in your heart. You would grow cold then. You would just see a case, know what the outcome was and move on. No interactions. No passion. No nothing. It is when you sit down and share your experiences with those who will listen, that you truly realize your passion. Does that make sense?"

The tile was surprisingly warm on her long legs as she sat and faced him. His words made sense to her. "I suppose you're right," she said with a slight laugh. "My dad always said nothing worth doing is ever easy. Besides, I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I didn't have to take the time to figure it all out. I can get so lost in my work," she said, a dreamy smile on her face. "I do love working it out in my head. Challenging myself. Things that come easy to me usually don't interest me. I move on too quickly. It's really the perfect job for me. I get to challenge my mind while helping others. I can't imagine doing anything else. Well, except for maybe working with my brother. He does amazing work, helping LOTS of people at once. I only take on a few cases at a time. I thought about going to work with him for a couple months, try something a little different. I have vacation time built up. But, I just can't seem to tear myself away from work." She stopped and laughed, "My friend makes fun of me. She says I want to take a vacation from work to go to work!"

Dende chuckled, "Your father sounds like a wise man." He smiled and nodded at her, "You do good work, Rose. I can feel those lives that you have touched and those that have touched yours. Just don't forget about yourself now and then. I know how it feels, trying to tear yourself away from one thing. It just doesn't feel right, trying to take a break when so many are suffering. Just because you hesitate to take that break for yourself speaks greatly about your character. Just remember that you are not the only guardian angel on earth. Sometimes a step back from it all will help you see more clearly." He smiled at her, looking her over. This woman. One day with Goku and he had already picked up on this woman's need to not be alone. She was a remarkable human who had to take in a lot of new information. Deal with the downs of life. She had amazing spirit for it. He agreed; the job was perfect for her. "Perhaps Goten needed you as much as you needed him. Goku is the first to reach out to you like this, is he not?" He smiled a toothy smile at her, "Don't pass up opportunity when it bites you in the leg. Don't let your obligations to your job stop you from finding meaningful relationships here. Friends of Goku may seem a bit, ahem, frosty on the outside. But there are not many they trust. When you get to know them, you wouldn't want anyone else to have your back in a crisis I think its about time you have someone to talk to about the work you do. Though it is your perfect job, it is also like a poison. If you do not let it out, it will rot away at you from the inside out and then you will be cold. And you will hurt."

Rose smiled, "Goku IS the first person to offer me friendship in a very long time. Of course, I don't usually put myself into situations where it would be easy to find friends. I don't mind the solitude, usually. I have my work to keep me busy. But there are times when it would be nice to have someone to talk to." Rose paused, chewing at her lip again. She didn't want to be too forward, but she couldn't help but to beg the question. "Who do you talk to?" she asked softly. "Do you share your burdens with anyone? You must have them, guarding the entire world."

Dende's brows shot up, he certainly hadn't been expecting that question. A purple blush spread across his face, "Ah well," He looked around, "Sometime I talk with Mr. Popo. He's been the steward up here since before Kami. He tends the flowers and cooks sometimes. He can almost sense the troubles of the world himself, he's so in tune with everything. Mostly I keep to myself. Some… most of the troubles are out of my hands. Acts of mother nature such as tornados, earthquakes. The best I can do is will the earth to soothe her anger. When there is bigger trouble, when the earth is threatened, I usually turn to Goku and his friends to help save the earth. Not many people know about that. Sometimes I try to talk with the dragon, but he is rather grumpy most of the time. He doesn't like for his sleep to be disturbed. Seems like ages since anyone's collected the dragon balls though." He smiled at her and leaned over his hand to his mouth, "Don't tell Piccolo, but Alice has been quite the good listener. She doesn't have much in ways of commenting back, but when I get to watch the girls, I feel like Alice is really listening." He laughed and rubbed the back of his head again, "Sorry. You're the first company I've had in a while. I'm sorry if I ramble a bit."

"I don't think you're rambling," Rose said quickly, trying to drink in everything he'd said to her. She found him fascinating. Soothing the earth when she was angry? Did the earth itself have emotions? The thought was silly to her, but then again, she was in the middle of something extraordinary and she decided it was best to not doubt anything. What had Goku done to save the earth? He'd mentioned it in passing, but she didn't understand. She couldn't remember a time when the earth was threatened, save for the Cell Games several years ago. But that had been Mr. Satan who had saved the world, hadn't it? He certainly didn't hesitate to remind everyone that he was the world's savior every time he made a public appearance. Talking with a dragon? Were dragons real? Could they talk back? What was a dragonball? And who was Alice? Rose felt that dizzy, spinning feeling in her brain again. So many questions, so many pieces to figure out and put together like this gigantic puzzle that made up the lives of these people. She was excited and confused. Where to begin? How many questions could she ask him before he got irritated or before Goku returned? "A dragon?" she finally asked. She leaned a little closer, an excited curiosity on her face. This was too much, too intriguing. Was this the fairytale she and Goku had spoken about? Had she somehow fallen into some great novel that spanned all time and reason? "Are you saying dragons are real?"

Dende couldn't help but burst out laughing, keeping up with her mind as it went through such a rapid progression of questions. Everything certainly seemed like an adventure in that moment. "I am so sorry, Miss Rose. I didnt mean to throw all of that at you. Its easy to forget what the people of earth don't know. Yes. Dragons certainly are most real. Don't worry, dragons here on earth are kept on special reserves, far away from humans. The eternal dragon exists in a realm that is of fire. It's warm and he tends to sleep a lot. I think only guardian nameks are able to tap into that world and create dragon balls. On my planet of Namek, or New Namek I should say, we have a very special Namekian dragon that reflects my people. Here on earth, I was able to revive the Eternal dragon. He is connected to the guardian's life force. When Kami died, so did the dragon. The dragon is a revered creature. Many seek to abuse his power. When the dragon was reborn, so were the dragon balls. They are artifacts of the eternal dragon of great power and magick. Those who gather all seven and call forth the dragon are granted two wishes." He loved the sense of wonder coming from her. Such a pure heart that didn't know about the dragonballs. He could sense her wish to see the dragon. "He is gigantic, takes up nearly the entire sky when he is summoned. And he has this deep booming voice that just fills you up. Its quite the experience." He found himself excited explaining all of this to her.

Rose wondered what it would be like to see the eternal dragon, to see this massive mythical creature that took up the whole sky. It seemed the more she learned from Dende, the more questions she had. She'd been nervous to leave Goku's side, now she was hoping that his conversation with his friend would take a good, long while. She felt she could listen to Dende for days. She didn't know how all of this could be real, but even if it wasn't, she wanted to hear it. She wanted to live in this fantastic dream as long as she could. "So where are these dragonballs? Can I see them?" she asked.

Dende chuckled, "I wish I could show you one, they scatter across the earth once someone has summoned and wished upon the dragon. They take a year to reactivate, but they should be activated now. They look like softball sized orange crystals with red stars in the middle. Each one has a different number up to seven. If you would like, I can show you Shenron's statue here in the Lookout. It's a smaller model of him, but you might get an idea?" He felt giddy. He hadn't shown anyone his work on the dragon since he had come to earth and taken on his role as guardian.

"I'd love to see it," Rose smiled. She was having a hard time picturing this dragon. She grabbed her purse again, an excitement dancing in her eyes. She hadn't felt this excited about anything in a very long time. "Can you show me?"

"Of course," he pushed himself to his feet and offered a green hand down to her helping her up. We have to go down into the lower levels of the Lookout. You will have to stay close, it's easy to get lost." He led her back into the building, he could hear Goku talking excitedly with Piccolo about something or another. He could hear Paige following Mr. Popo around and the calming sound of water falling out of a watering can. He passed the kitchen and went further into the back of the building, finally reaching a large, ornate door that he pulled open. He offered over his arm for her to take, "It's a little dark." He led her through some hallways that seemed to twist and go up and down until one could be thoroughly confused. Finally they turned a corner and there was a small room with the dragon statue sitting on a pedestal, a golden light coming from seemingly nowhere to light it. "There he is."

Rose's breath caught in her throat as she slowly released her hold on Dende's arm. She walked forward, pushing her glasses up on her nose, peering at the statue. It was beautiful. She got as close as she dared, resisting the urge to reach out and touch the statue. She'd die if she caused it to break. "Oh wow," she breathed, leaning over towards it. She'd never seen something so intricately carved. It was a beautiful bone white with miniscule details. She half expected to see it move.

Rose circled the small statute, drinking in every detail. There was a longing in her to see the real dragon, to hear the voice that Dende spoke about, to feel that presence. Her throat tightened. What had gotten into her? She was so used to dealing with cold, hard facts and basing all her decisions upon that. To be looking at this statue, wishing for it to come to life, was ridiculous. But she couldn't deny that she wished it would. She leaned a little closer, her nose nearly touching the nose of the small dragon statue. That's when she heard it. A slow, deep, rumbling growl that seemed to emanate from nowhere. Rose faltered and fell backwards, staring up at the statue in shock. "Did you hear that?" she gasped. "Tell me I'm not the only one who heard that!"

Dende was once again surprised. He had heard the rumble, the growl, but that was highly unusual. He stepped closer, "That's odd. He usually only speaks when he's awake." He looked at Rose again. Who was she to get the dragon to speak? He leaned down and helped her up, "You are very special. It's good luck for the dragon to speak to you like that. Imagine that voice, but multiplied by a thousand and that is what you hear when he speaks when he is summoned."

Rose was frightened. It was a statue, just a statue, and it had GROWLED at her. She grabbed her purse with both hands, holding it over her shoulder, looking at the statue with wide blue eyes as she carefully stepped away from it. "Can... Can we go find Mr. Son now? See if he's done talking?"

Dende's face fell, he hadn't meant to scare her. "My apologies, Rose. It was not my intention to frighten you." He took her hand, and turned to lead her out of the statue room. "He frightens many, but had he meant to scare you, he would have roared." He looked over his shoulder at Shenron's statue, perplexed by the meaning of it. He could feel Rose's heart beating rapidly in her chest. "Easy there now. You're alright. The eternal dragon does not harm the people of earth. He may seem frightening, but he means well."

"I'm sorry, Dende," Rose said quietly. "It just startled me is all."

They finally exited the lower levels of the Lookout, warm sunlight washing over them. Paige was waiting for them with they came out. She looked at them both before staring at Dende, "DenDen! Dragon speak! Dragon speak LOUD."

Dende looked at Rose a moment before leaning down to Paige's level, "Did you hear the dragon speak just now?"

She shook her head, little pink curls flying around her head, "Ally did."

Rose's heart warmed at the sight of little Paige when they walked out into the sun again. Rose crouched next to her. "Hi, cutie." She felt foolish now. She, a grown woman, had fallen over when she heard the voice of the dragon, yet this little girl, who couldn't have been more than three years old, seemed excited by it.

Paige looked at Rose a moment before smiling widely at her, "You hear dragon?" She threw her hands up in the air wide, "DenDen say he diiiiis big." She looked like she was going to say more but then Goku rounded the corner, greeting them again.

"Hey! There you are! Did you two have a nice chat?" He beamed at Rose, "Didn't I tell you he was a lot like you?"

Dende chuckled, he could hear Piccolo off in the nursery shushing Alice. She must have really heard him. That was interesting. He smiled over at Goku before looking at Rose, "Well, if the dragon doesn't scare you that badly, you are welcome back here any time you wish. You might have to find Goku. It is rather hard to find this place." He wanted her to stay. He wanted to talk to her more and find out why the dragon allowed her to hear what many do not.

Rose felt bad. She wanted to stay and learn more, but hearing the dragon had really shook her. Dende looked disappointed. "I really enjoyed talking with you, Dende," Rose said. "I'd love to come visit again, if that's okay. Just... no more dragon statues next time?" she asked with a slight giggle.

Dende smiled and shook her hand, chuckling, "I promise. No more dragon statues. Let me know ahead of time when you are coming out. I'll cook lunch or something." He looked between her and Goku and smiled again, "Now. Go take some time for yourself. I dare say you've earned it."

Rose chewed her lip as Goku stepped closer to her. She wanted so badly to talk with Dende more, to learn more about these people and this world she'd stumbled into that she didn't understand. Just as Goku went to place his hand on her shoulder, she blurted out, "Dende, would you like to come with us?" Her eyes went wide and she clapped a hand over her mouth at her brazenness. "I... I'm sorry," she said to Goku, "I shouldn't have done that. That was terribly rude of me to invite him to your home. I didn't mean to put you on the spot! I... I'll just... be quiet now." Rose ducked her head and stared at her toes, her face burning hot.

Dende tilted his head back and laughed, "She does that a lot, doesn't she?"

Goku nodded his head enthusiastically. "Yeah, come on Dende! A few hours will be good for you, too!"

The Namek looked at them a moment, Rose's cheeks had the most adorable blush on them. There was something about her that intrigued him in a way no other human ever had before. She didn't have many she could call friends and in truth, neither did he. He nodded, "That sounds good, actually. Let me just go tell Mr. Popo and Piccolo. Then we can head out. Swimming, right?" He felt giddy as he walked off to find them. He hadn't taken a vacation in a long while. Of course, that was hard to do. Being a guardian was a full time job

Rose watched him go, then turned to Goku. "Mr. Son, I'm sooo sorry. That was really rude of me. I know better than that. I promise, I do have better manners! I don't know what came over me. I just... I really liked talking with him. That dragon scared me. I really didn't mean to do that to you; put you on the spot like that."

Goku laughed, "Relax. And please call me Goku. Mr. Son just sounds so formal." He grinned, "It's alright. I could tell you guys have a lot to talk about. You need friends. Hopefully this is the start of many. Isn't Dende great? He's great to talk to. And you look like you have a lot on your mind you know?" He tapped his finger to his lips. "Gonna have to find an easier way for you to come and go here."

"I have a hovercar," Rose said. "I could drive. I don't mind. Really." She paused and smiled, "I can't rely on that disappearing trick of yours to take me everywhere." The sun was growing higher in the sky, the light reflecting brightly off the tile, making Rose's eyes water. She dug in her purse and pulled out her overly rounded white sunglasses and swapped them for her regular ones. "It's so bright out here," she muttered. She was excited that Dende was coming. Had she gone from having practically no friends to making two new ones in less than a day? The thought was exciting to her. And now she had the whole day to spend with them, to pick their brains, to learn as much as she could about them and their lives and these amazing adventures they seemed to have. Her embarrassment ebbed away at Goku's warm smile, the way he insisted that she call him by his first name. "Dende is very interesting to talk to," Rose agreed. "I don't think I've ever heard anyone speak quite the way he does."

Goku chuckled, "He is something special. I met him when he was still young, a little older than Paige is now, when I had to travel to Namek. He always had a way with words. I think he has that unique way of speaking because this is his second language. You should get him to say a few things in Namekian. That'll make your head flip!"

"Really? His second language?" Rose asked with interest. "I can't even tell! I don't hear an accent..." her voice trailed off as she saw Dende walking back towards them. A small smile pulled at the corner of her mouth. "I'm glad you're coming with us," she said, "I'd like to talk to you more. I've got a million questions in my head right now. For both of you, really. If that's okay? I don't want to wear you out."

Dende laughed with Goku, "Hardly. It's been forever since someone's drilled my brain." He hooked an arm around Goku's waist. "Lets go, Goku"

Instant transmission was so strange. One second you were in one place, the next thing you knew the world was a spinning mess of color and sound, and the next second you were in a completely different location. Rose wobbled on her heels, standing in front of the cabin. "Oh, I don't know if I'll ever get used to that," she said, clutching Goku's shoulder to steady herself.

Dende took a deep breath and let go of Goku. "I keep forgetting how amazing this place is." He looked around and gave a wave to Tien in the garden. "I'll go change after I tell Tien hello. Meet you two at the river?"

Goku blinked after him, "Change?" He looked down and realized, "Oh! I guess it would be really inappropriate if I swam naked today, huh?" He shrugged off his shirt and tossed it to the side following after the Namek before turning to Rose. "You can change in the cabin if you like! Sabriena's in the garden with Tien so it's all yours."

"The river?" Rose asked, looking around. She finally saw it, the sunlight glistening off the gentle waves. "You... You don't have a pool?" She felt stupid the instant she posed the question. These people didn't even have a proper bathroom, of course they didn't have a pool. She'd been to this place twice now, she should have realized there was no pool. She shook her head. "Wow, that was a dumb question," she muttered.

Goku chuckled, "No, that's alright. I should have told you we swim in the river. It's really clean and refreshing. That's the river that's fed by the spring we rested your foot in! It's perfect for a hot day like today."

"O-Okay," Rose said uncertainly. "I've got my swimming suit on under my clothes. You can go ahead and change." She hesitated for a moment. She wasn't sure about swimming in a river. Fish and turtles and snakes and who knows what else could be lurking under the water. "Can I go look at the river while you change? You'll meet me down there, right?"

Goku nodded, "Yeah! You look worried. Don't worry! Nothing will bite you! The fish might nibble on your toes though!"

If Goku thought that was supposed to be encouraging, he was sadly mistaken. Rose headed down the narrow dirt path that led to the river. She set her purse on a bigger rock and cautiously walked to the water, the toes of her shoes an inch from the waterline. The waterfall was just to her right, the sound a comforting rushing of water. The water was surprisingly clear. Only the deep parts on the far side seemed slightly dark. Both banks were lined with huge trees, their leaves occasionally falling on the breeze like slow-motion rain. The air smelled sweet and clean.

"You might wanna take that skirt off before you get in."

Rose spun around to see Sabriena standing there with a hand on her hip, a towel clutched in one hand. She was wearing a shocking pink bikini that showed off her exaggerated curves. "Oh, yeah, I guess I should," Rose said, slipping off the denim skirt and her red top.

Sabriena eyed the vintage-looking one-piece that Rose wore. "Jesus, you look like one of those old-time movie stars," she stated and laid her towel out on the shore.

"Oh, thank you," Rose said quietly. "I wish I had your curves to fill it out, though."

Sabriena smirked. "I bet you catch lots of guys' attention as you are," she said and lowered herself to the ground, laying on her stomach and resting her chin on her crossed arms, letting the sun warm her back. "Speaking of guys, here they come. Finally."

Rose followed Sabriena's gaze and blushed. Good lord, those men looked like they were chiseled out of marble. She pulled off her sunglasses and tossed them in her purse, realizing she could see how well defined their bodies were even without her glasses. She was tempted to shove them on her face to look at them properly, but thought better of it and stood up to greet the men who had reached the riverbank.

Dende felt a little exposed wearing just swim trunks. He was so used to wearing his full guardian outfit. He followed Tien down to the riverside. The sun was warm, the air slightly cool. He sighed happily, glad he had been invited along. He almost stopped short when he saw the women. Sabriena in a skimpy bikini and Rose wearing her namesake color in a modest swimsuit. She looked lovely. He'd never really considered how attractive a human female was before, but there was something about Rose that caught his attention in a way he'd never experienced before. He waved to them and moved to walk into the water, sighing as the crisp cool liquid flowed across his feet.

Sabriena reached over and grabbed Tien's ankle. "Lay down with me," she purred.

"Are you kidding? It's way too hot out here for that. You need to get in the water," he grinned. He leaned over and picked her up by the waist, hauling her over his shoulder as she screamed and laughed in protest.

"No! Tien!" She kicked her legs and tried to wriggle out of his grasp as he walked into the water, his step undeterred by the gentle current. Sabriena held her hands out, "Goku! Save me!" She was reaching, grasping at nothing. She managed to grab Dende's shoulder briefly, but her hand slipped as Tien carried her further out. "Dende! Help me!" she laughed. "Tien! Put me down!"

He smirked, "As you wish." With a mighty heave, he flipped her from his shoulder out into the deep part of the river.

Goku doubled over in laughter as Rose stared in surprise. "Oh my," she breathed. She hoped Sabriena wasn't hurt.

Sabriena surfaced, screaming that Tien was a dead man and flew out of the water to tackle him as he laughed at her. They both tumbled under the water, arms and legs splashing wildly as they play-sparred in the river.

Dende chuckled as he raised his arms to avoid being splashed and walked further into the water to dip his head under the refreshing river and coming back up, wiping the drops out of his face, a few clinging to his antennae. He laughed as he watched Goku cannonball the water-sparring couple dousing them both with a tidal wave. The smile disappeared when the wave washed over him leaving him sputtering and laughing. It felt good to let go for a moment and enjoy life. It made him appreciate what he did.

Rose couldn't help but smile as she watched the three of them. For a moment, she was worried about Sabriena, she was so tiny compared to the men, but it was obvious that she wasn't afraid of them and actually seemed to be giving them a run for their money. While they outmatched her in size and strength, she made up for it in speed.

Rose wandered closer, watching with interest. The match had turned more serious, just like the other day when Goku had hit Goten. Rose held her breath as she watched. Tien spun in the waist-high water, driving his elbow into Goku's stomach, doubling him over... the next second Sabriena landed a left-hook to Tien's jaw... Goku slammed a knee to the middle of Sabriena's back... Rose pressed her fingertips to her mouth, her blue eyes wide. She'd be in the hospital for weeks if anyone hit her like that. And yet, they were all SMILING. Goku slipped under the water as Sabriena and Tien squared off at one another. They stared each other down, both in the same defensive pose, smirking at one another. They seemed frozen in time, neither moving, both staring hard into the other's eyes. Rose edged just a bit closer, her toes almost to the water again. Without warning, Sabriena and Tien shouted with surprise as their feet were yanked from under them and Goku stood there grinning, Sabriena's leg in his right hand and Tien's in his left.

Sabriena splashed and flailed in the water, trying to right herself as Goku held her by the ankle. She finally pulled herself up to claw at Goku's hand. He finally released her and she fell into the water again, laughing as she surfaced. "You're lucky I love you," she teased.

Goku pulled her close and kissed her soundly before picking her up and tossing her in the water a few feet away, "I love you, too!" He missed Tiens movement as the man finally knocked him over the the water by grabbing his leg and pulling, "Love you too dear husband!"

Dende treaded water over to Rose on the shore and waved her over. "Don't worry. They wouldn't dare be that rough with us. They might splash us to death, but I'll come to your rescue!" He hadn't missed the look of horror on her face when it turned brutal, "Don't worry. This is a regular thing. Saiyans and all that energy. They have to exert it somehow."

Rose cautiously stepped into the cool water, the stones smooth and slippery beneath her feet. "Oh, this is different," she giggled. She waded out to Dende, the sun warm on her shoulders. She didn't feel any fish biting at her like Goku had teased. "Silly," she scolded him as she and Dende approached him and slapped water playfully at him. "There's no fish biting me!"

Goku chuckled, his hair dripping wet and he grinned at her, lightly splashing water back at her. "We're being too noisy! Tien scared them all away!" He laughed as she splashed him and and he splashed them both in return, Dende gasped as he was hit in the face and retaliated by tackling Goku, barely making him sway.

Rose screamed and held her hands out trying to block the water as Goku easily flipped Dende over into the river. Goku grinned at her, his eyes mischievous. "No! No, no, no! Goku!" Rose cried, trying to turn and run through the waist-high water. It was useless. Goku grabbed her around the middle and dunked her. She came up, gasping and sputtering, slicking her hair out of her face. She felt happy and giddy, playing in the water. And she couldn't ignore the swooping feeling in her stomach when Goku's strong arm had wrapped around her middle. She brushed it off, it was just because he was a guy and she hadn't really spent much time with men. It meant nothing...

He grinned at her and she shook her head, laughing, and drew a deep breath to sink under the water again. She stayed under as long as she could, enjoying the silent world around her, the current gently pushing at her. She opened her eyes to look at the multicolored rocks beneath her. God, it was beautiful out here. And so peaceful. There it was again. That warm, secure feeling that this place held. She finally surfaced again, gulping in fresh air. "Thank you so much for inviting me," she said to Goku.

Goku gave her a bright smile and draped his arm around her shoulders. "Thanks for coming out! How late can you stay? Want to have a campfire?" He laughed, "I twisted Sabriena's arm when we went to the store and she bought me marshmallows to roast!"

"You mean like camping?" Rose asked, her eyes bright. "Yeah! I can stay for that!" His arm was heavy around the back of her neck. He smelled good - like the river and Sabriena's cooking and fresh earth. She wondered if he'd been working in the garden that morning. "You'll have to show me how," she laughed. "My parents never took us camping. Dende, you'll stay too, right?" Rose cringed. She'd done it AGAIN.

Dende threw his head back and laughed, "Goku! She's just like you!" He smiled, he hadn't been camping since Gohan had convinced him to come along on one trip some years ago. He chuckled and looked over at Tien who nodded his okay before Sabriena tackled him. "Yes. Of course I'll stay."

Rose shoved Goku away. "You are wearing off on me," she hissed. "I have better manners than this. Honest!" Her face felt hot again and she turned away from them to look at the waterfall. It was breathtaking. "Mr. Shinhan?" she asked, waving him over. "Do you all ever jump from there?" she asked nervously, pointing up at the waterfall.

He waded over closer to her and nodded. "Yeah, Sabriena does it all the time. You have to stay to the right side, though, where it's deeper." He eyed her for a minute. "You want to try it?"

"Oh no, no, no, no," she giggled. "I was just curious. I've seen people make jumps like that, in movies and stuff. I just wondered if people could actually make a jump that big."

He snickered, "You'd be amazed what a person can survive. That's nothing there. Even you'd be safe."

Sabriena grabbed Goku's hand. "C'mon, let's show her!"

Goku grinned excitedly, "Okay!" He let himself be pulled out of the water and they flew up to the top of the waterfall, moving to the right side, looking down at the deeper water before Goku gave a cheer as he jumped and cannonballed into the water with a loud splash. He surfaced a moment later laughing and looking up at Sabriena, "Well, come on beautiful!"

Rose covered her eyes as Goku had neared the edge of the falls, but peeked through her fingers as he jumped. "I didn't think he'd actually do it!" she cried.

Tien laughed.

Sabriena leaned over the edge of the falls, grinning down at Goku. "Sloppy form! I give you a three out of ten!" She stepped back and took a running leap, doing a single flip in the air before hitting the water feet-first. She came back up, grinning and swam to where Goku was treading water. "Seriously bad form," she giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck before she pressed her lips to his, kissing him passionately. She slid one leg around his waist, her heel brushing against the scar on his back, teasing him.l

Goku shivered and growled against her mouth, unable to stop his hips from rocking forward into her. He nibbled on her lips and mutter against her ear after a moment, "You are a very naughty girl." A low groan issued from his throat as he pressed his hips between her thighs, her warm center on his length a sharp contrast to the cold water that surrounded them.

Sabriena giggled and grabbed the hair at the back of his head, "You have no idea," she whispered to him before she kissed him once more. She ground herself against him and gasped when she felt his length twitch against her. She couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to have him and Tien in that deep water, all three of them weightless.

Dende turned purple in the water and coughed as he turned away, hiding his blush as he heard their words and their rather vulgar thoughts.

Rose turned to Dende with concern on her face. "Are you okay?" she asked. He looked embarrassed. She had to admit, Goku and Sabriena were definitely affectionate towards each other. She wondered what that was like. She walked over to Dende and placed a hand on his shoulder blade as he coughed. "Do you need a drink or something?"

Dende shook his head, smiling at her, "Oh no. Thank you for asking. Sometimes ears this big are a burden." He coughed again, his throat tightening at the feel of her cold hand on his back. Why did that make pleasant shivers shoot up his spine? He managed to smile at her and laughed at her expression. "It's nothing. Though I think I could float in this river forever. It's very peaceful here. There is something about this place, a sort of magick that soothes the soul, does it not?"

Rose smiled. "There's something here, that's for sure," she answered. "I felt it the first time I came out. I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels it." She searched his face, looking for a sign that he was about to start choking again, but she found none. "What was that about your ears being a burden? They're... they're different, but I think they suit you."

Dende chuckled, she really was like Goku, down to the childlike innocence at times. They were kindred spirits it seemed. How like fate to bring them together in such an unusual way. Kindred spirits were not to be confused with soul mates, no. That was what Goku had with Tien and Sabriena. Anyone could see that. But this girl was something special, "I like my ears too." They twitched at her and he grinned, "I think you'll do just fine once you get used to the new experiences around here. It must be quite the adventure for you."

She laughed lightly. "It's something," she answered. She glanced over her shoulder at Goku and Sabriena, floating side-by-side in the deep water, Goku pointing up at the clouds as Tien swam out to them. "It's like their own little world out here. Where none of the rules make sense to anyone but them." Rose wrapped her arms around her thin frame. "This water's kind of chilly, isn't it?"

Dende nodded, "Come on, lets go sunbathe for a little bit." He looked over at the three and felt a warmth in his chest. He had never seen three people so at peace with each other. It was like their souls were three pieces to a puzzle. It was a perfect fit for them. He could barely put words to it. "You said you had more questions for me?" he asked, turning his attention back to the young woman beside him.

Rose pulled a towel from her large purse and laid it out on the shore next to Sabriena's and sat down. Her mind was working like crazy, trying to figure out where to begin. "Do you miss your home planet? What was it like?"

Dende leaned back against the earth, looking up at the sky, thinking about Namek and New Namek. "My home planet? Yes. Who wouldn't miss the planet where they were raised? I had to live through its destruction. But we were able to use the namekian dragon balls to wish a new planet for planet for us. Namek is like nothing you've ever seen before. The sky is green. The trees are blue. It smells like... green… the best plants… flowers. We have villages that reside on tall plateaus, almost as if we are trying to reach for the stars." He felt a little homesick even though it seemed like he had just gotten back from the planet. "It's a very simplistic style of living. You might like it. No violence. Quiet. Peaceful."

Rose thought about it for a minute. It sounded like heaven. A place with no violence. Oh, what would that be like? She tried to imagine green skies and blue trees. That part seemed very backwards. "I wish this world was like that," Rose sighed. She looked over at Dende, at the slightly sad expression on his face. "I'm sorry, Dende. I didn't mean to bring up a sore subject." She wanted to ask about the original planet being destroyed, but thought that was a topic better suited for another time, if at all. "So how did you get to be guardian?"

Dende glanced over at her a moment, smiling, "I'm the son of a guru on my planet. He was very powerful. Very wise. When my planet was under attack, Goku and his friends came to save it. His son Gohan and his friend Krillin saved my life. I took them to meet Guru and he helped them get stronger. Goku never forgot. When he faced Cell, during the Cell games, he came to Namek in search of a new guardian for the earth. And here I am. It's rewarding. I dont regret it, but it does wear on the mind. Watching the earth and her troubles. Not being able to do much to help those who need it. Helping the world's people as a whole."

"Doesn't sound much different than working with them one on one," Rose said softly. "I know that for every child I save, there's ten more that I don't. It's never enough." She ran a hand through her wet hair and looked over at Goku who was still floating in the river. He'd been at the Cell Games? She didn't remember seeing him on the television, but then again, she hadn't really watched that much of the broadcast. She'd watched the part where Mr. Satan showed up with his students and then she'd run to her room to work on a puzzle instead when the fighting began.

"I shouldn't be out here. I should be working," she muttered. She laid back on the towel and turned her head to look at Dende. "You mentioned Gohan. Goku's oldest son? Is he a good person? Would Goten be safe there?"

Dende chuckled, "There's hardly a place safer on this earth, save for here, the Lookout and Capsule Corp. Gohan saved my life, remember? I couldn't trust him more. He and I are almost like brothers." He looked over at her, sensing her next question, "You want to know if what Chichi said was true about Gohan's wife?"

Rose nodded. She couldn't knowingly send Goten to live in a home with a drug addict. She didn't trust Chichi at all, she knew that woman was like a poison. But it was Rose's job to investigate every aspect of this case. And since the allegation had been made, she had to know. Her eyes narrowed, searching Dende's dark ones. "I know I just met you. But I trust you, even though I probably shouldn't. I have to know the truth, Dende. Don't let your friendship to them cloud your judgment. I have to know what's best for Goten. Please tell me the truth."

Dende nodded and leaned back on his elbow, "If you must know, Lindsey did used to be an addict." He looked away, frowning slightly. "But that was only after the incident. She was in a bad place in the worst way. She didn't have the right people around her and she suffered a horrendous attack. This was about two years ago. Over in America. The family was over there for Gohan and Lindsey's wedding. She nearly died and Goku and Vegeta stepped in, helped her detox. Goku personally took her away from the bad environment. It took months, but he helped her get clean and she has been ever since."

"No one's worried about her relapsing?" Rose asked. She'd seen that one too many times to be fooled again. Parents would go to rehab, get clean, have the judge give them their children back, and a month later, Rose was taking the same children back out of the house.

Dende looked serious and looked at Rose, into her eyes, "Everyone wonders. Gohan keeps her in check. The only thing she is addicted to now is cigarettes. Every day she chooses not to be that person because she has a husband who loves her and a son that depends on her. Goku is constantly checking up on her. She has a lot of reasons every day to choose to not be that person she once was." He could see the doubt in her eyes and he smiled, "Have you met her? Gohan? Perhaps you should plan a visit."

Rose looked back up at the sky. "I am. One of our secretaries scheduled an appointment with them. I'm just trying to prepare myself for what I'm going to walk into next. I certainly wasn't prepared for any of this. I know now to expect pretty much anything from anyone who knows Goku." She paused for a moment. "Gohan does have running water and electricity, right?"

Dende couldn't hide his chuckle, "Yes, yes, all of that. I do feel like I should warn you. All in the name of preparedness, of course. You should know that the baby has a tail."

Rose jumped and turned to her side, her eyes wide. "A TAIL?!" she shrieked as Goku, Tien and Sabriena made their way up to the bank. "What... Why?! How on earth did that happen?!" Rose tried to picture a baby with a tail. It was too bizarre. Once again, her brain felt dizzy. These people were trying to make her have a meltdown. It had been strange enough to meet the little girl with green skin and pink hair. Now there were babies with tails?

Goku blinked at Dende, "You told her about my tail?" It clicked in his head Dende must have mentioned Phoenix. "OH! Yeah, of course. All Saiyans are born with a tail. I did tell you we were space monkeys." He snickered as Tien thumped him on the back of the head. Goku pouted, "I wanted to keep my tail, but nooo." He stuck his tongue out at them and flopped down onto the ground next to Rose, water from his shorts slopping everywhere. "Man! I'm starving. That was a good swim!" He reached up and pulled Tien down next to him.

Rose sat up, staring at him. "You... you used to have a tail? Like, a REAL tail?" She started looking him over as if she expected to see it.

Goku laughed. "Uh-huh! You'll have to meet Vegeta and Tora sometime. They still have their tails!" He leaned forward, reaching back and pulling his pants down just enough to show her his scar, "See?"

"Oh, weird," Rose whispered, leaning forward and forgetting her manners again. She reached out and touched it, dragging her fingertips slowly across it. Goku's back arched and he hissed; a second later Sabriena had Rose's wrist in a vice-like grip, her eyes fierce.

"Don't. Touch. Him. There," she snarled.

Rose's eyes went wide, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to. Does it hurt?"

Sabriena threw Rose's arm away from her, giving her a dirty look, and promptly went to sit in Tien's lap. Tears burned Rose's eyes. She didn't understand what she'd done, but she realized she shouldn't have touched him. "I'm so sorry," she said softly. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

Goku shivered and clutched at Tien's wrist hard. Ohhhhh. She had touched his scar too well. His length had hardened almost instantly and he had to do everything he could to suppress the moan that wanted to work its way out of his throat. He was vaguely aware that Rose had said something… Hurt? Sorry she hurt him? If he hadn't been so aroused at the moment, he would have laughed, but his mating mark was burning deliciously and his spine tingled. He shook his head, not looking at her. "No. That," he gasped out, "That didn't hurt."

"I don't understand," Rose said quietly. "If it didn't hurt then..." Goku's face was flush, he was struggling to calm his breath.

Dende's eyes widened, his blush returning full force. He should have just left well enough alone. He jumped up and tugged on Rose's hand, "Come on. Let's go, ah, for a walk around the front of the cabin. I think I saw a hayfield. I've never seen one before, it should be interesting. Let's go." He grabbed up her towel off the ground and wrapped it around her as he drug her away from the three on the bank. When they were far enough away, the river was out of sight and they walked towards the field and the finished barn. Dende slowed their pace a little bit, "Sorry. That was my fault. I shouldn't have brought up the tail. Tails are extremely sensitive things for Saiyans. And for someone other than the mates to touch it, well, it's kind of a big offense."

Rose blinked at him, trying to understand. Sensitive? Only a mate was supposed to touch it. Goku had gasped, his face red... Rose's eyes went wide as she sucked in a harsh gasp, her hands flying to her face and the towel slipping from her shoulders. "That was..." she looked at Dende with horror in her eyes, "I touched him... sexually?" Her stomach twisted up in uncomfortable knots and tears burned the corners of her eyes. "Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no," she whispered over and over. "I... I have to go." She looked around wildly and suddenly realized she was in nothing but her swimming suit in the middle of nowhere. "Dende, can you go get my clothes? Please? I have to go home!"

Dende placed a hand on her arm. His voice quiet and soothing, "Relax, Rose. It's not so much sexual as it is sensitive for them. If he had his tail and you grabbed it, it would paralyze him. It can also be a comfort for them to have their tails touched. It's not necessarily intimate in the way you're thinking. Cut off, their tails are still as sensitive. Or, rather, the scars are. It's alright. Now that you know, just know not to do it again, right? Come on. I don't want you to go home yet. This is the first time I've been off the Lookout in about a year. Its nice to have a new friend to share this with."

"But... his reaction..." Rose shook her head. She felt horrible. "You said it was a big offense. The first person to try to be my friend since high school, and I not only insult him, but his wife and his husband, too!" She covered her face with her hands. "I'll never be able to look him in the eye again."

Dende shook his head, "I misspoke, You have to know Goku. He will forget about it and go on like nothing happened. Which nothing did happen. You didn't know about the tail. You should know they don't hold it against you. They are just protective of him. Now if you knew and still did that, then that would be a different story."

Rose chewed her lip, staring at the ground. She felt she could crawl in a hole and die of embarrassment. She felt Dende was trying to sugar coat it for her. Mrs. Shinhan's reaction had been too harsh and she didn't blame her. Whatever the case was, Rose had made a mistake and she felt very sorry for it. "This is why I don't make friends," she said dully. "If I'm not in my suit and thinking about work, I just..." she gave a mirthless laugh and shrugged her shoulders, "I guess I just don't know how to interact with adults on a personal level anymore."

Dende laughed, "Now one second. Let's look at that comment. Did you really connect with Goku when you were in the suit or when you were at home in shorts and a tank top? Embarrassing yourself outside of work is a normal part of friendships. It's a part of life. Imperfections, growing, learning from your mistakes. What have you been missing in that suit of yours?"

"Feeling like a jerk?" she offered. "Making a fool of myself." She shoved her hair off her shoulder and looked up at him; his face just slightly blurry from her lack of glasses. "I'm out of my element. I don't know what to do." She glanced in the direction of the river, even though she couldn't see it. "I should apologize."

Dende considered her for a moment. "Give them a few… they are," he coughed again, a blush growing across his cheeks, "occupied."

"Occupied..." Rose gasped and slapped at Dende's arm. "You tried to lie to me!" She glanced in the direction of the river again, blushing furiously, but laughing for some reason. "Hmm. Well, maybe he'll thank me," she laughed. She was so uncomfortable that there was nothing left to do but laugh.

"They just might thank you. You and me will have to play stupid later. It will be alright." He smiled at her. Her laughter, that person that showed herself when she gasped and blushed, it was beautiful. "I hope you would not let one single embarrassing moment to hinder you from what could be some of the most rewarding times you could have." He smiled at her again, "If you do find yourself feeling overwhelmed. you can come to the Lookout. I certainly have the ears to listen. Mr. Popo listens well, too. You are not alone. Don't force yourself to be just because you are more at home in your comfort zone."

Rose gave him a soft smile. "Thank you, Dende. I'd like to come see you again. Although, the other Namek that lives with you? And his wife? I don't think I made a great first impression with them. Are they as understanding as you? I wouldn't want to, you know, make it awkward for you or anything. They were here when I took Goten away the other day." Although Jenny hadn't seemed too upset with her earlier when they came face-to-face on the Lookout. But then again, Jenny had been rather irritated with her situation, so Rose wasn't sure what to think.

Dende chuckled, "That's what Goku was talking to Piccolo about today when he left you with me. He was explaining why what happened, happened." He looked up at the sky, "Jenny will understand. Piccolo will tell her when she calms down about her other concerns. And even so, the Lookout has enough room that we can stay separate if they really had a problem."

"You could come see me sometime," she said quickly. "I... I mean, if you want to. My apartment's not much, and I can't cook. But I can order out! You could see the pictures of my kids. Well, they're not MY kids, obviously, but the ones I've helped." She was rambling and pressed her lips together again. What had gotten into her today? She couldn't seem to shut up.

Dende laughed out loud, warm and mirthful, "Relax, Rose. You are trying too hard. It sounds like a lovely time. Do you… do you have board games? Gohan played with me some time ago and I sometimes play with the girls at the Lookout, but I mean, three year olds and everything. Not much of a challenge. The games are addictive. I like to have something challenging to help me keep a focus on my current surroundings. Otherwise I lose myself."

"I have an old chess set from when I was a kid," Rose said. "I haven't played in forever." She gave him a suspicious look, "Doesn't matter anyway. You could probably predict my every move, with the way you read people."

Dende laughed, "I love chess. What if I promise not to cheat? Hmm? And I ah… don't eat very much, but I can cook." He grinned at her, "Vegetables stir-fry is my specialty."

"That sounds good," Rose said, smiling. She hesitated for a minute, the silence growing between them. Why did she have to be so awkward? Although, she reminded herself, she was standing in the middle of a hayfield, in a bathing suit, talking to a tall green alien, who himself was wearing nothing but a pair of swimming shorts. "Soooooo... Do you like movies? I have a bunch of movies. Goku watched one with me the other night. Well, most of one. I fell asleep on the couch. He must've put me in bed, because that's where I woke up." She paused to smile. "He's awfully sweet, really, once you get to know him. Anyway, horror's my favorite. I'm... I'm rambling again..." her voice trailed off.

Dende chuckled, "As long as its not _Dora the Explorer_, I think I will be happy watching a movie. Might help me distract me from your thoughts about which move you would be plotting to take next."

"All right, it's a date," Rose said with a nod. She paled, "W-well, not a DATE date... I mean... you know... you know what I mean..." She clapped both hands to her face and turned away. "Shut up, Rose, shut up," she hissed to herself.

Dende laughed and patted her on the back, "Alright you. Let's go back before you die of embarrassment. They're heading back up to the cabin. Let's see if we can pester them for some food and a campfire to help us dry off."

Rose nodded and nervously fell into step beside Dende. She really didn't want to face them yet. Dende greeted them cheerily as they reached the cabin, but Rose just stood there, digging her bare toes into the dirt for a minute, her face growing incredibly hot. She tried to swallow the knot in her throat that seemed as if it was going to choke her. "G..." she cleared her throat and tried again. "Goku? May I speak to you?" she asked softly, not looking up enough to reach his eyes.

Goku looked over at her, looking more relaxed than he had before. He smiled at her, no trace of bitterness, no ill feelings. "Oh? You alright? Sorry about that! I should have warned you! Hahahaha." He walked over to her, Tien and Sabriena looking more relaxed as well behind him. Goku stepped over to Rose and blinked at her innocently, noting she was looking at the ground. "Hey now," He took his hand and lifted her chin to look into her eyes. "Look, I'm alright. See? No harm done!"

"I'm so embarrassed," she breathed, looking up at him as he held her chin. "If I'd known, I would have NEVER touched you like that. That was horribly inappropriate of me. Goku, you're the first person to offer to be my friend in a very long time and I feel like I offended you and your husband and wife. I am so, so sorry. I swear, I'll never do it again. Please forgive me."

Goku chuckled at her, "You're forgiven. I think we were both to blame. Sabriena scolded me for exposing myself." He looked over his shoulder and winked at his wife before turning back and hugging Rose close, "You're okay! Come on. Cheer up. I promise I'll fight Sabriena off if she tries anything. He winked at her, laughing as he turned them around, "Sabriena, need me to gather anything for dinner?"

Rose gave a shuddering sigh as Goku hugged her. His tight embrace was warm and comforting. She often got hugs from the kids she worked with, but this...

She could've held onto him forever. She didn't know what it was about him. He exuded such compassion and understanding and open forgiveness without a second thought. She squeezed him tight, but he broke away from her all too soon. He was saying something about dinner. Rose stepped a bit away from him as his wife answered.

"Could you grab me some onions from the garden, please, love? Big ones."

* * *

Tien sat by the fire after their dinner, scraping away at a stick with his hunting knife. Sabriena sat down beside him with the bags of marshmallows and kissed his cheek as he worked. He smiled without looking up.

Rose watched with interest. No one had said anything else about her moment of impaired judgement and she was grateful for it.

Tien still seemed a bit cold, but perhaps he was just a quiet person. Rose could respect that and so chose to give him his space, whatever the reason.

Goku had flopped out on the ground by the fire, his arms tucked under his head, staring up at the first stars of the evening. He looked peaceful and happy. Perhaps their way of living wasn't so bad after all.

Rose wanted so bad to close this case and bring Goten home to his father. She could just imagine the pure joy from both father and son as they were reunited, knowing that Goten would never again have to live with that horrible woman. But reality sank in and she knew that it would be very, VERY hard to convince a judge of that. It would be nearly impossible, truth be told. A sadness pulled at her heart for them. It was so obvious to her now that this was where Goten should be. She sighed quietly and stared at the fire. She could feel Dende's eyes on her, but she didn't look up. He read her too easily. Movement in the shadows caught Rose's attention, making her tense, but a moment later, the big Great Dane came into the firelight and flopped himself down on Goku's chest.

Goku oofed as the dog planted himself on Goku's chest and he laughed before scratching behind the dog's ears, "Hey Dog. Did you get enough to eat? You want a marshmallow, don't you?" He laughed and reached behind his head to get an uncooked one and held it out for Dog, the large pink tongue greedily lapping it up.

Dende was having some trouble focusing. The weight of the world was calling to him, but so was this woman's conscience. A few things were going to need to happen for her to obtain her goal. Goten was going to have to speak up about his mother and Goten would have to have his own room here at the cabin. But he could feel that might not be an option. The bed was nice for visiting, but on a lifelong basis? Not so much. He turned his thoughts to the matter. Goten was going to have to come to that strength on his own. Dende could not influence him. However, Goten was strong. With Sabriena and Tien and his father, his brother, all of his loved ones, he would come to that realization. He was so close already; it was only a matter of time, "Miss Rose, if you don't mind my asking, when is the hearing on Goten's case?"

Rose looked over at Dende. She shouldn't have been surprised that he seemed to read her thoughts again. He'd been doing that all day. She cast a nervous glance at Goku, who had looked at her with interest. "It hasn't been set yet," she answered. "I have to finish my investigation. I still have a lot of work to do." She had to get evidence against Mrs. Son and she didn't know how long that would take. And what worried her more was she didn't know how long her supervisor would let her drag this out. If the paperwork was shown as it was now, custody would surely go to Goten's mother. Rose's mouth went dry. "These things can take months," she answered quietly.

Dende sensed her displeasure at having read her thoughts. She relied a lot on her spirit. It spoke volumes to him without even trying. He'd never encountered a human like that before. Goku, sure, but he wasnt exactly human and his spirit was a bit more simplistic than the complex thoughts running through Rose's mind. He paled at the thought of Goten going back to Chichi. Saiyan or not, that woman would destroy that child and his innocence if she was allowed custody over him. He clamped his mouth shut. Perhaps when they had their game night, he would talk to her more about this. But in the mean time he should talk to Piccolo and Gohan about convincing the boy to speak up.

Sabriena happily impaled a marshmallow on the stick she swiped from Tien and held it over the fire. "Grab one, Rose," she said, nodding to the sharpened sticks and bag of marshmallows laying next to Tien. "Hurry before Dog manipulates Goku into feeding him all of the marshmallows."

Rose nervously grabbed a stick and a piece of the candy, watching as the Great Dane chomped noisily and drooled all over the place. She mimicked Sabriena and held her stick above the fire.

"I am sooooo gonna pay for this," Sabriena said and pulled the marshmallow off the stick with her teeth.

Tien shook his head. "You're going to regret that."

"Sut up," she lisped. "ou eat on too."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "I can't understand you." She wrinkled her nose at him and he wrinkled his nose back at her. "You sound like you did the first time you spoke to me."

"When wah zat?" she asked, still trying to speak around the frothy candy in her mouth.

"The night we fought the dragons," he answered. "You bit your tongue and the first words you ever said to me were to shut up."

Her eyes went wide and she giggled as the memory suddenly hit her. "Yeah? 'ey, Tien, 'ou know wah?"

He snickered at her and asked, "What?"

"Sut up."

Rose giggled, watching them bicker playfully. She was about to ask Dende about the dragons they were talking about when she looked at her stick and gasped. "Oh no! It's on fire!" she cried, frozen to the spot, watching the marshmallow burn.

Goku laughed and watched it burn.

Dende chuckled at gasp, urging her, "Pull it out, pull it out!" He blew on the flaming marshmallow that was quickly turning black and laughed at the little charred outside of the marshmallow. He chuckled some more and offered Rose his toasted brown marshmallow, "Want to trade? I like mine to be little bricks of charcoal."

Rose sheepishly swapped sticks with Dende. "Told you all I couldn't cook," she muttered and pulled the marshmallow from the stick with her fingers. "Ah! Hot! Hot!" she cried and popped it in her mouth, where she breathed heavily over it, her mouth hanging open, shaking her wrist to cool her fingers. "Dammit," she growled, then clapped her hand to her mouth as if trying to cover the curse word that had slipped out. She groaned as the sticky marshmallow on her fingers stuck to her face. She chewed the marshmallow and swallowed, then lowered her hand, a string of marshmallow clinging from her hand to her face. She pouted. "I am so out of my element."

Sabriena and Tien were rolling with laughter and Rose gave a little giggle as she frowned at the stickiness all over her hand.

Dende ate her marshmallow, charred on the outside, cool on the inside; it was delicious. He laughed when she had some trouble eating his, black spots of the marshmallow sticking in his otherwise perfectly white teeth.

The group just laughed harder.

The night wore on, the stars growing brighter, they all were sharing some silly stories about this and that. It wasn't until Dend yawned that he decided to speak what he didn't want to, "I hate to call it a night, but I think its about time I headed home. The world won't wait forever. A day or two now and then, but then she gets cranky and wants attention."

"Just like a woman," Tien teased and laughed when Sabriena jabbed her elbow into his ribs.

Rose had just about nodded off beside the fire. "I have to," she yawned, "Oh, excuse me. I have to be to work in a few hours. I gotta go home, too." She got to her feet and slipped her sandals back on. "Thanks for everything. I really had a lot of fun." She paused and blushed, "Sorry about earlier. I really didn't mean to do that."

Sabriena stared up at her, "You ever touch my husband like that again, I'll chop your hands off."

Rose jumped and blinked at her in terror. "I... I'm so..."

Sabriena threw her head back and laughed. "Jesus, Rose, you're too easy to get to. We know you didn't mean it. You're good."

Rose heaved a sigh of relief and rubbed at her face. "Yeah, okay, time to go home."

Goku groaned and shoved at the Great Dane that had fallen asleep on his lap, "Ugh… Dog! You're heavy, boy! I have to take our guests home!" He laughed as the dog huffed annoyedly before he moved off of the Saiyan. Goku jumped to his feet and stretched. "Glad you guys could play hooky for a day with us! We'll have to do it again sometime!" He wrapped an arm around Rose and Dende slipped an arm around his waist. Goku looked over at Tien and Sabriena and smiled widely, pressing his fingers to his forehead, "Be right back you guys!"


	18. So Familiar

Rose sat at the kitchen bar in her white suit, the evidence of a new case spread out across the countertop. The police reports, the photos taken by the officers, the statements obtained by her coworkers. Just that afternoon, Rose had been sitting at her desk, writing up her first report on the Son case, when her supervisor dropped a huge file on her desk. Rose stared in horror as she thumbed through the evidence and had to leave work early, taking the file with her. She now sat at the bar, where she'd been sitting for hours. Three little girls, sisters, who had been terribly neglected and abused. The mother blamed the father, the father blamed the brother-in-law, who blamed the babysitter. Same old crap she'd heard over and over before.

Tears welled in Rose's eyes as she stared at the photos. She ran her finger along the edge of one as a tear spilled down her cheek. The photo showed a little girl's back that had several small, round scars as though someone had extinguished a cigarette on her skin. Rose lowered her head to her arms, crying freely. How long had they endured such torment? She knew the outcome of this one already. These girls would be adopted out. Statements from neighbors claimed a constant coming and going from the house, claimed alcohol abuse, drug abuse. Both parents had criminal records that confirmed these accusations. The house had been in disgusting condition, the girls left to sleep on nothing but a bare mattress in the basement. Yes, adoption was the only answer for them. But finding a home that would take three children was nearly impossible. Rose was going to have to break the sisters up. The thought brought fresh tears to her eyes. A knock at the door made her jump and she quickly wiped her eyes and answered the door.

"Dende!" she gasped when she saw the tall Namek standing there.

Dende smiled at her, looking down at her, he rubbed the back of his head. He held a grocery bag full of vegetables, enough to make his usual stirfry. "I hope you don't mind I dropped by without a phone call? I might have looked near your neck of the woods and saw, maybe you could use some company? You do still owe me a game night." He held up the bag, "I'll even cook. My cooking isn't that bad. Everyone at the Lookout is still alive." He chuckled, "Is it alright if I come in?"

Rose sniffled, trying to regain her composure. "Yes, of course," she answered, stepping aside. "Please, come in." She closed the door behind him and ran her fingers quickly through her hair. "I'm sorry, I probably look like a mess right now," she said, gesturing into the small kitchen.

Dende smiled at her, walking into the kitchen and setting the bag on the counter and taking out the vegetables, pausing to look around for knives and a skillet, "Ah. Where are your utensils?" He looked back at her, "And don't worry, all things considered, you look rather good." He cast a glance over at the bar where she had the case spread out. He had been keeping an eye on her from time to time since that first day she had come to the Lookout. There had been something about her that raised too many questions in his mind. He wanted to find out why the dragon had spoken to her. "Need to talk?"

Rose pressed her lips together and shook her head. "Sorry, let me just clear this away," she said and grabbed at the photos and papers, stacking them quickly and putting them in the file. She turned from Dende and hugged the file to her chest, trying not to cry again. She stashed the file in her big purse and turned around.

"A skillet?" she asked and began to dig in the cabinet. "I think I have one of those." She finally found it and handed it to him. "I don't know why Mom bought that for me. I guess she was convinced I'd learn to cook some day."

Dende took the skillet from her and placed it on her stove, turning it on and moving to start slicing up zucchini, carrots and onions, tossing them into the hot skillet with a sizzle. He reached over and picked up the olive oil in a glass container by the stove, glancing over at her, "Your mom must really have tried." He drizzled a measure into the pan and went to slicing up some peppers and corn on the cob. He tossed those in after a moment and picked up the bean sprouts. He looked around and added some salt and pepper. He took out a clove of garlic and crushed it with the flat of the knife before he took off the husk around it. He looked up to her as he diced it up and put it in the pan, the fragrant aroma wafting up, "You are pained, thinking that if you split up a family they will also feel that pain."

Rose watched him as he worked, impressed that he knew how to do that. It didn't look complicated, but then again, Rose set marshmallows on fire. She gave a nod. "Three sisters. The only thing they've ever had is each other. How can I separate them?" she asked in a quiet voice.

Dende looked up at her as he stirred the skillet, "Why can they not be adopted together? Families only able to take on one child instead of three? And the ones who can take more children are harder to come across?" He added the bean sprouts and gave it a stir before he looked around, "Bowls?" He smiled as she passed him two, "It has always been my experience that siblings are still siblings even when they are apart."

Rose nodded, thinking about her brother. "But if I split them up, there's a good chance they'll never see each other again." She accepted the bowl from him and sat at the counter. "This smells wonderful. Thank you, Dende."

Dende smiled at her and sat down with his own bowl, "I hope it tastes as good as it smells." He picked up a pair of chopsticks and picked up a sliced carrot, blowing on it before he gave her another look, "And I don't mean to sound, like I know it all, but this is the age of cell phones with video and texts and face to face calls. Surely you can find a home for each of them that encourages them to stay in touch, at the very least writing each other letters and sending photographs if nothing else."

"I suppose you're right," Ros sighed and took a bite. She smiled as she chewed. "This is really good." She tucked in and tried to push the case from her mind. She had company once again and she didn't want to ruin it. Dende had enough to worry about with his own work. He didn't need to be bothered with hers as well. But the images in those photos kept pressing to the front of her mind. "Your friends at the Lookout are lucky they have you to cook for them."

Dende smiled at her, "Thanks for that. I'm glad you like it." He had a thoughtful look on his face, "Not many really eat up there. The girls don't need much, Piccolo and I can survive on water. Jenny and Mr. Popo are the only ones who eat like they need to, and Jenny's usually at Capsule Corp hanging out with her dad." He laughed at her expression, "Don't worry about it. It takes a while to keep everything and everyone straight. You'll get used to it."

"Are there a lot of your friends who have these powers? How many people know Goku? Do they know Goten? Mrs. Son?" Rose's mind was ablaze with work again, wanting so desperately to be able to find the evidence she needed to protect Goten from his mother.

Dende gave her a look, "Just how many cases do you have going on in that head of yours?" He took another bite, "All of the people in the 'group' know Chichi. I know a few of them who have some rather angry thoughts about her and vats of acid. Most of the group are skilled martial arts fighters. I'd tell you more, but I think your brain might explode from information overload. "

"I think it already is," Rose muttered. "How do you handle it, Dende? I've done well so far, managing my emotions, reminding myself why I do what I do. But it's starting to hurt." She paused and looked away from him for a moment. When she spoke again, her voice was quiet, doubtful, "I think I let myself get too close this time."

Dende set his chopsticks down, looking at her carefully, "With Goten you mean?" He pressed his lips together thinking. "There is something about Goku and his sons that make you just want to make sure they are well taken care of. Goku himself has done so much for this planet. Tricked into a marriage with only his two wonderful kids to show for it. We are all wondering how she is the only person who couldn't appreciate her family." He thought for a moment, "It's not easy. Like I said at the Lookout, its good to have an anchor to help you keep a grip on reality. Someone other than yourself. Me, I talk to Mr. Popo. Alice. The dragon. None of them really have anything else to say to me. Just let me talk out what I need to. It helps. To get that poison out of your system. To remind yourself that not only do you do it for your charges, but for that person who holds you to reality."

Rose bowed her head. "I wish I had someone like that," she whispered. She closed her eyes, fighting her tears, willing Dende to hear her thoughts. Her brother had been that for her all her life. She always worried about others, ever since she was little, wanted to care for them and protect them. Everyone from the little kids getting bullied on the playground to a simple caterpillar in danger of being squashed on the sidewalk. She felt for them. When she was worried or scared or upset, she could talk to him. He always listened quietly, waiting for her to finish before he reminded her how wonderful it was that she helped others at every given chance. But he had left three years ago to go do his own great work and aside from a visit at Christmas, she rarely heard anything out of him. 'I don't have someone like that anymore,' she thought.

Dende looked at her, reaching out and covering her hand with his own, stroking his thumb across the back of her hand. "You don't have to think so loudly, I hear you just fine," he said softly. He smiled at her, "I may not be your brother, but my ears work just fine for listening. It is good to be reminded by others that what you do is important. Few people look for those people behind the scenes that make small miracles happen. A calm in the storm, hot meals, a loving family that doesn't hurt you." Something pulled at the back of his mind. There was a piece of the puzzle here. He was close. But what was it? "You picked a good friend to have in Goku. If you really wanted, he could take you to see your brother or your parents. But of course, not always an option. I know. Would the pain of having to leave them again to come back here be worth the trip?"

"My parents live over in East City, I just usually don't have time to go visit them." Rose shrugged. "I feel so selfish," she muttered. "I wish I had someone. Someone of my own who understands me. Seeing my brother would be nice, but I can't convince him to come back. He's needed where he is. Being around Goku, around you, I don't know. It's like I've had a taste of what it's like to be around people who care and now I want more. Like I can't get enough."

Dende felt twinge in his soul at her words. He tilted his head until he caught her eye, "That's not being selfish. That's being normal. It's not right for a lonely soul to think it selfish to wish the company of others. You let us help you. You will have plenty of friends who will not shy away from you when you need to have your burdens listened to. You are very empathetic to these children that you help. This one tugs at you more because maybe you did get too close, but would you really want to distance yourself now?"

A small smile pulled at Rose's lips. "I don't think I could, even if I wanted to." But she certainly didn't want to. She wondered what would happen after Goten's case was closed. What if she was unable to keep him with Goku? What if the judge sent Goten back to Chichi? Would they still be her friends? Goku would be heartbroken and disappointed. And why couldn't Rose turn her brain off for five minutes?! She offered Dende a weak smile, "Sorry. It's probably wearing on you to hear my thoughts when I'm this upset. I don't know how to stop."

Dende smiled and sat back, "Stop ignoring your thoughts, you can talk to me. Ramble. Let your thoughts just run wild for a second. I can tell you they will still be your friends even if that does happen. Goku knows you will do the right thing now. It's the judge they will be angry with. And if that should come to pass, Chichi will not have Goten for every long. The only reason Goku wanted to do this the legal way, was so that he could finally wash his hands of his ex-wife and enjoy what he has with his new family." He pinched the bridge of his nose, "Goku needed a friend, too. He and everyone in our big family has gone through so much in the past few months, it's a wonder we are all still sane." He remembered it seemed like Goku and Tien had just rescued Sabriena from Tao and now he could lose his son. It would not be good for Goku. Not at all. But Dende agreed with Rose's thoughts. Goten would be right at home with Gohan. It would most likely be the best outcome they could hope for. He picked up another thought coming from her, "You are worried about finding enough proof against Chichi? Do you need something other than the marks on Goten's body and a confession from him?"

Rose threw her hands up in the air. "If I could get him to tell me it was her!" she said in exasperation. She turned to Dende, "That little boy will talk your ear off until you try to get him to say who hurt him. I mean, it's like someone just flips a light switch. Happy and talking one minute and the next... NOTHING." She turned back to her food and took another bite. "They aren't learning anything in therapy, either. They've tried all sorts of things. Letting him draw and paint, using play therapy. He hasn't done anything to even suggest that he was being abused. I've never seen a kid like him before."

Dende nodded, it hurt him. He could feel the pain, the frustration from her, it was like a torrent of emotions just waiting to consume her, "He is more like his father than most realize. It is hard to betray someone whom you love. A mother even more so. If I may make a suggestion, I would suggest taking Goten to see his brother. Tell Gohan your findings and then, let him talk with his baby brother. Hearing from his older brother might be just what he needs to before he will be able to open up to you. He has to know that it is alright to tell the truth."

"That might work," Rose said, staring straight ahead for a moment. She turned to Dende. "That's actually a good idea. I'll see if I can take him there this week." She paused, "Thank you, Dende. That was so obvious. I can't even think straight anymore," she giggled.

He chuckled, "Like you said, you were too close. It's good to take a step back now and then. I just hope it helps. Goku and his sons have been through too much. I hope that when this is over, they will have the stretch of peace they've been looking for." He looked at the dishes on the table and he smiled over at her, "So, shall we clean up and start a movie and a game of chess?"

Rose nodded happily, a little bit of light coming back into her eyes. She took the empty bowl from Dende and set them in the sink. "You can pick out a movie if you want, I'll go grab the chess set," she smiled and hurried down the short hall to her bedroom. Rose dug under her bed until she found the heavy box and pulled it out. "This thing weighs a ton," she groaned as she set it on the coffee table.

The Namek looked up from his crouched position on the floor in front of her DVD shelves, "Yikes! That looks really nice though." He picked through her movies, "Um, which horror movie would you suggest? And will you think any less of me if I shrieked at a few parts in it?" He laughed, "I like to be scared now and then, in the good way of course."

Rose grinned. "I won't tease you." She sat on the floor and started setting out the chess set. It was a beautiful set with a stone-like board and detailed pewter playing pieces. "Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a good one," she suggested as she set up the little pewter chess pieces on the stone checkerboard.

The movie was on, but as soon as it was, Dende could only focus on one thing. The game of chess and the remarkable woman playing across from him. Perhaps it was a bit fast, but he seemed to recall Lindsey saying something about, 'Seizing the moment.' He wasn't sure if Rose was that kind of woman, or if he even felt that way about her. He did know a few things though. The dragon spoke when she was around, she had this look in her eyes and he couldn't put his finger on it, but if he didn't know any better, he would have said that they had met before, but that was impossible.

He became less focused on the movie and on the game as he listened to her talk, about anything, nothing in particular. He listened to the calm of her mind that she had found here. The normal hectic life had been held at bay for the moment and that was good. She had a long hard choice to make, nothing should be taken lightly. It's important to remind oneself of all the good that could be in the world that make helping others worthwhile. " It is funny, is it not?" He glanced out the window, in the direction he felt Goku, far north, "He and you, all of his friends, me. We do so much to aide the world but we as a group were never ones for the spotlight. When the Cell games were over and our losses were counted, more than could be saved. Goku selflessly allowed Mr. Satan to take the credit for defeating Cell." He held up a hand at Rose's apparent question, "Yes, Gohan, Goku's son, was the one who beat Cell, but would the world really be ready to believe that? A young boy defeated one of the greatests threats this earth has ever seen? Not to mention all the publicity and spotlight. No, If there is one thing I can say about our group, it's that we like our privacy. Hercule is a great fighter in his own right. Stronger than most humans, by far. And his heart is in the right place. There are just so many layers to that man, it is exhausting trying to figure it all out."

While Rose wasn't necessarily a fan of Mr. Satan, she'd always had an appreciative respect for the man for putting his life on the line to save the world. Hearing that he'd wrongfully taken the credit for beating Cell left her a little disappointed. She did remember how after the Cell Games were over that everyone kept talking about the little boy who had fought with Cell before the broadcast ended. That was Goku's son?

Rose suddenly jumped up and rushed to the kitchen to grab a notebook out of her purse. She scribbled in it as she walked back to the living room and sat down opposite of Dende with the coffee table between them. She had to make a note of that; it was important somehow, she was sure. Another piece of the puzzle. If his oldest son was strong enough to fight Cell when he would've been, what? Ten? Eleven? Then perhaps seven-year-old Goten really was strong enough to practice fighting with his father. She felt rather stupid now for rushing Goten away from the cabin that day. Her writing slowed as she felt Dende's gaze on her and she looked up at him and slowly set the notebook aside. "Sorry," she whispered, feeling a bit embarrassed. "That notebook is like my brain. I sort of write everything in it. That way I don't forget anything and when I go to write my reports I can remember any impressions or details I might otherwise forget."

Dende chuckled, "Just like always," he said, almost as if it were a reflex and he blinked at her as soon as the word passed his lips, "I mean, I don't know your habits, but that's fine. Everyone has their own way of remembering details." He felt himself blush and he rubbed the back of his head, looking down at the chess board trying to figure out why he said what he did. He had just met her, and yet this was familiar to him. Like a case of déjà vu.

Rose tipped her head curiously towards him, but said nothing. He said he didn't know her habits, but it certainly seemed that he did. She'd always done that, made herself little notes to keep track of the million thoughts that always seemed to run through her mind so fast she could barely grasp onto them. There was something familiar about him that just seemed to put her at ease. She studied the pieces on the chessboard for a moment, just as he was doing, and a smirk pulled at her lips. "Aha! Check," she grinned, moving one of her pieces. She looked up at him, a playful expression on her face, "Whatcha gonna do now?" she teased.

Dende smiled at her, a fang gleaming in the warm light of the room, Ah, I do so hate to point out flaws, but," he said and moved his knight into the striking position on the board, "Checkmate." He looked a little sheepish, "Next time I visit, you will have to scold me more and perhaps guard your thoughts." He tapped the side of his head, "It is too easy for me to cheat when you are shouting your strategy at me." He winked at her.

"Ohhh! Not fair!" she mock-pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. She fought the shiver that tried to run down her back at the sight of his long canine tooth. She didn't know what to think about that, but for some reason it made her whole body tingle. She couldn't hold the scowl for long and she fell into a fit of giggles. She leaned her elbow on the coffee table to prop her head on her hand as she gazed at him. "You're so much fun to be around, Dende," she said dreamily. She blinked widely and sat up a little straighter. "Sorry," she muttered, looking down at her lap. "That was kind of forward of me, huh?"

Dende felt a warmth spread in his chest at the way she had looked at him and he, who had never been the center of someone's attention quite like that before, wanted more of it, "That's quite alright. I think you would be the first person to ever say that too me. I am sure someone else would tell you to spend a day with me on the Lookout and then see how much fun that is." He busied his hands and reset the game board, "You are fun to be around as well, Miss Rose."

She brightened at that. "Really?" she asked, her voice a bit higher than normal with an excitement in it. She paused and cleared her throat. "Cherie always says I'm boring," she mused, reaching to help set up the pieces again. She felt a flutter in her stomach as her hand brushed his. A sudden urge to grab his hand hit her and she retracted, not understanding why he did this to her. Never before had she ever felt so comfortable and yet so jittery around a person she'd just met. "Maybe we're the only people who are interesting to each other," she laughed.

Dende laughed, "Then we should form a club for just us interesting people." He said, smiling at her. A realization hit him that he could probably just sit here for hours, talking or not talking, just sitting with her and trying to figure out the complex puzzle she was, "Well, we will have to do this again sometime. Soon, I hope? I am afraid my job will need tending to before long and I should try to get some form of sleep, if I can."

"I'd like to see you again," she said warmly. "I always-" She stopped herself from finishing the sentence. _I always miss you when you're gone._ Where on earth had that come from? She cleared her throat again, her mind rushing to try to cover for her near-slip. "I'm always thinking about my job, too. I understand not being able to get away from work much." _'Lame,' _her mind screamed at her. She blushed and ducked her head again a moment later when she realized that Dende could hear her thoughts. Oh gods, couldn't her brain or her mouth ever just shut up?

Dende gave her an amused look, "It is very strange, is it not? How we seem to know each other even though we have just met? Perhaps we are just both so longing for a friend who understands, our minds seem to be filling our voices with the wants. Perhaps it is a good sign. A sign of a friendship that will last." He stood up and bowed slightly to her, "Thank you again for allowing me into your home this evening, we will do this again soon, yes? You may stop by the lookout any time you wish, I will not think it forward of you to just swing by. It does have a calming effect on the mind when you are stressed from the day."

Rose's heart warmed at the thought of having him for a friend. She enjoyed his company immensely and it was nice to talk to someone who seemed to understand her in a way other people didn't. She stood and nodded with a smile. "We will do this again soon," she answered and walked with him towards the door. "Thanks for coming to visit me. I really had fun with you tonight."

Dende smiled at her and nodded, "And I with you." He stood and pushed his chair in, turning once more to her before he opened the door, "I'll see you around." He had to stop himself, a million different phrases coming to his mind, none of which had seemed appropriate for someone he had just met, all pertaining to something suggesting he had a long term relationship with her. It was very odd, first the dragon, now this? He was going to have to take a page from his brother's book and meditate on it.

"Bye," she said softly and watched as he left, feeling a bit sad as she closed the door behind him. She leaned back against it and covered her face with her hands as she shook her head. A whirlwind of emotions rushed through her, none of which made any sense. She'd almost had the impulse to kiss him goodnight. She sighed and pushed herself away from the door. "Go to bed, Rose," she muttered to herself. Maybe it would all make more sense in the morning.


	19. Wild Flowers - Piano Poem

Dende couldn't concentrate. Well, he could concentrate, just not on what he was supposed to. The troubles of the Earth were being pushed aside for the troubles of one woman that he couldn't get out of his head. Something was nagging at him about her, but he couldn't put a finger on it. Maybe it was because she was the first person outside their little group that he'd ever been introduced to, maybe because of the similarities in their work. He didn't like it to see her so troubled over her case when he had stopped by to cook dinner for her.

After getting her to talk about her worries, she had cheered up and then the talk had been charming, the food had been good, and the game of chess had been compelling. How long had it been since that night? A few days? He shook his head and with a sigh, sat down on the white tiles at the edge, letting his feet dangle over. He looked down at the world below, focusing on the reason for his thoughts.

She was working. Another day off, but she was working. He couldn't blame her; it had to feel like a full time job. The parents did not stop being neglectful on the weekends, why stop the work knowing someone out there was suffering and you could prevent it? He felt the same way with his work. It was hard to take a day off, wondering about what he could have done to change the world or ease her troubles.

He stood up, making up his mind. If he didn't go and see her, he'd be just as useless up here still thinking about going down to her.

Rose was pouring over the case as she sat at her kitchen bar like she always did. She had the kitchen window thrown open to let the warm breeze flow in. She ran her fingers through her strawberry blonde waves and sighed. This was driving her nuts.

A sudden knock at the door drew her attention away from the papers before her and she cautiously moved to answer. Her eyes went wide as she saw the Namek standing there. "Dende!" she cried in happy surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Dende smiled, feeling his heart flutter at the sight of her smile and he returned the warm smile with one of his own, "Rose." He almost lost his nerve. How did he answer that question when he didn't even know the answer himself?_ I couldn't get you out of my mind, so here I am?_ "Something told me you were here working on your day off." He looked past her to the table covered in papers, "Have you ever thought about taking a step back when you are stumped? Perspective brings about a clarity, perhaps time away from this case will do some good? Just a little while, if you are interested?"

Rose chewed her lip. A break did sound nice. She was on the verge of tearing her hair out. Something in her heart had warmed at the sight of Dende. He was so easy to talk to and he seemed to understand her better than anyone else ever had before. Even if they didn't talk about work, perhaps just being in like-minded company would ease her brain enough so that she could come back and get a new perspective and maybe finally make some headway on the case. "Uh, sure," she answered, nervously adjusting her glasses on her nose. "What exactly did you have in mind?"

He smiled at her and thumbed over his shoulder, "I believe I flew over a lovely little park with a pond on my way here. Would you like to go for a walk? I could even be persuaded to buy some koi food. Maybe even an ice cream for ourselves?" He could have kicked himself. Koi food? Did women like looking at slimy fish? He swallowed and offered over his arm to her.

Rose grabbed her keys from the hook next to the door and locked it, then curled her fingers around Dende's bicep. She didn't understand it. The second her hand touched him, it was if all the worry over the cases she was working on seemed to melt away. She was just flooded with a warm calm and she suspected that he was working some kind of alien magick on her, trying to help calm her thoughts. Well, whatever he was doing, it was nice to not feel that stressed, nervous, worried feeling that she carried around day after day. This was more than welcomed and she gave a little sigh, a smile pulling at her lips.

Dende had to catch his breath from gasping out loud when she touched him. Something shifted, her touch felt pleasant. He led her outside and they walked along the sidewalk, drinking in the warmth of the early afternoon sun. His antenna twitched in the breeze, perking up at the warmth. He didn't even mind the stares of the locals at his green skin.

"So," he started as they neared the entrance to the park and walked through the wrought iron gates ornately twisted into a beautiful design welcoming its visitors. "Do you have any hobbies aside from your work that you enjoy? Music, art, reading?"

"I used to play the piano," she answered. "But I haven't done that in a really long time. I listen to music a lot. And, well, you've seen my movie collection," she finished with a slight laugh. She paused for a moment, her hand going to her forehead, "Oh my gosh, I'm so boring."

Dende laughed out loud, "Better than my hobbies of watching the world and baby sitting on occasion. Though, you do know I have that fondness for chess and I do enjoy good music. Do you think you would play for me sometime? That is, if you still remember, of course. And as long as it's not too loud or sharp." He gave her a fanged smile, "Big ears are such a pain at times."

Rose nodded. "I know what you mean, about the sharp music, that is. I never really got into that. I like classical music. Soothing music." She thought for a moment as they walked the path through the beautiful park with it flowering trees and brightly colored flower beds that overhung the walkway. There was a fragrant scent that permeated the warm air. "I suppose I could try to play for you sometime," she said uncertainly. "I haven't tried in a long time. I might be a bit rusty! I have no idea where to find a piano, though. I didn't have enough room in my apartment when I moved in."

Her eyes flickered to his face again, his high cheekbones and prominent brow, his strong chin. She felt a flutter in her stomach and quickly looked back at the ground. She'd never dated anyone before, but she wondered wildly if this was what it felt like. This calm comfort of being with someone, the bubbling flutters in your stomach, the way you suddenly became conscious of your breathing and the beating of your racing heart. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to will the sensations away. She and Dende were far too different to be anything more than friends and she could only be feeling this way because she'd never been around men a whole lot. This was just a new experience, not some wild, fairytale love story.

Dende smiled at her brightly, "We will have to see what we can do about that." He reached up and plucked a daisy from one of the hanging pots and offered it to her, "Bulma might have one we can borrow for a little while." The flowers were beautiful and nearby there was a small sparkling spring surrounded by a flowering willow and cherry trees. A cool breeze drifted over the water. It was bliss.

Rose blushed as she accepted the flower from Dende. She smiled as she raised it to her face, inhaling the sweet scent. Her blue eyes met his dark ones for a brief moment, "Aw, it's beautiful." She turned to look out over the spring, drinking in the cool breeze, her hand still wrapped around Dende's arm. "Well if we ever do find one, you have to promise not to laugh at me if I mess up."

Dende's breath caught in his throat, the sun caught in her hair turned it into the most amazing shade of gold, it warmed her skin and brought out the faint pink blush on her cheeks. Who was she? He had barely been with her a few times and now he was hopelessly, falling for her. It couldn't be. Perhaps it was just that she was the first woman he'd met that wasn't married.

Rose looked out over the water, gripping Dende's arm, so tempted to lean her cheek against his shoulder. A little family of ducks swam by peacefully. "Awww, look, Dende! Aren't they cute?" she cooed, leaning closer to the water, holding onto him for balance. She smiled at them, "I love the way animals care for their young. Seems like they do a better job than most humans do."

Dende smiled and held onto her carefully as she got a closer look, "Go ahead, I won't let you fall." They laughed as they watched the little birds following their parents, the adorable way they waddled onto the land and stumbled into the grass, heading towards a shady place to eat grass and bugs and whatever else ducks ate, "On Namek, we have something similar called the kolyja. Except, more like a giant bugs leading around smaller giant bugs. They are cute if you can get past all the legs."

Rose giggled and stood up straight. "I don't know about that. I'm not a big fan of bugs. To tell the truth, I haven't been around animals a whole lot. The goat at Mr. Son's house tried to eat my suit," she muttered. "Maybe they'd be cute from a distance?" she laughed.

He chuckled as the last of the ducklings disappeared out of sight, "I like them, too. It's a sign this side of the world is in harmony at the moment, nature doing as it is intended. You know?"

There was a commotion on the opposite bank. The ducks were quacking loudly and flapping their wings, the babies peeping and waddling for the safety of the water. Three young teenage boys were laughing maliciously and one lashed out with his boot, kicking one of the ducks back into the water.

"HEY!" Rose shouted at them and took off at a dead sprint around the edge of the water towards the boys. "Hey! Stop it!" The boys turned and ran well before Rose reached them and she stopped near the point where the boys had attacked the ducks. She was breathing hard, clutching a stitch in her side. She really needed to make it to the gym more often. "Yeah... you better... run..." she panted.

Dende felt his heart run cold, the balance had been tilted. There was pain, suffering. He broke into a jog over to where Rose was across the way, looking around until he heard it, a small, sad, pathetic sound. Where there had been a happy chirping before, there was pain now. He looked to the water and saw the little duckling struggling to stay afloat feebly swimming in a circle, trying to make it back to shore, "Rose. The duckling. Get the duckling." He looked back after where the boys had run. How pathetic, attacking a defenseless animal for the sheer sadistic pleasure of it. The duckling was trying to flee; the mother duck had already ushered her little flock to the other side of the pond. Dende had to take a breath, the pain coming from Rose at the sight of the little animal hurt almost as much as the pain from the duckling, it was almost too much for him to bear.

Rose crouched at the edge of the water, reaching far out and managed to cup the little bird in her hands. She pulled it to her chest, ignoring the water that dripped onto her shirt. "Oh no," she whimpered, "I think its leg is broken." Tears were swimming in her eyes as she glared in the direction the boys had run. "Heartless," she hissed. "Dende, we have to take it to a vet or something." The little yellow ball of fluff in her hands was squeaking in pain and fear. "Shh, shh, shh," Rose soothed. "We'll help you. You're safe now." It was an automatic response to a little one hurting; she couldn't count the number of times those words had passed her lips.

Dende smiled at her, "He's scared, poor dear." He knelt next to her and reached out to place his hands over hers, closing them over the little one. "No need for the vet," he said softly. He tilted his head to the side, his eyes glowing softly and a warm golden light appeared around his hands. It was peaceful and soothing. Ah, he could see the poor thing's leg now. When the boy had kicked him, the leg had broken nearly beyond repair of normal medicines, so tiny, so fragile. "Easy there little one. We've got you. You're going to be all right." He focused, carefully sending his healing magic into the frightened baby, the bones mending together like it had never happened, the pain washing away. He smiled and let the light fade completely before he removed his hands. He looked up into Rose's eyes, at the simple tears shed for such a tiny creature, "There, you see? Your little friend has made a full recovery."

Rose's mouth fell open in a gasp. The little duckling was peeping peacefully now, clearly unhurt and somehow unafraid. She didn't know what to think. How had he done that? She turned and carefully set the little bird back in the water and watched as it paddled across the water to join its mother again. "Dende," she said, her voice breathless as she met his eyes again. "How did you do that?" She didn't know whether to be afraid or excited or happy. This was even weirder than knowing that there were people who could fly. Yet she felt this strange thrill of excitement shoot up her spine.

"The green alien with pointed ears, fangs, things growing out of my forehead and the thing that gets you, is the glowing light I can make?" Dende chuckled and held up his hand again, showing her his power again, soft and glowing, "I'm a healer by trade, Rose. It was a gift, a power I was born with. On Namek, I was trained to help others in need, knowing one day I would become Guru over an entire village and now here I am, Guardian of Earth." He shook his head, chuckling at the way Rose's eyes were studying his hand, "Go on. It will not harm you. It's like magick almost. Every living thing has it within them. I can see it, the way it is supposed to be. I can make it better."

Rose stared in wonder at the glowing light in Dende's hand. She nervously extended her hand and touched the light with the tip of her middle finger. It was warm and seemed to soothe her to her very core. Her finger sank slightly into the light - there was the slightest solidity to it, like the air had gone thick inside the light. "A healer?" she asked. "Can you heal anything?"

He shook his head, "Not everything. Any injury you obtain over the course of your lifetime, most of the time, those can be healed. Magickal wounds and dragonfire I cannot. They have a life force of their own that interferes with my energies. Also, any imperfections one may be born with, that the Fates have given you." He moved his hand and passed it over her eyes, closing his for a moment, "You were born with a unique set of eyes that allows you to require the aid of these glasses. I cannot heal that, there is nothing to heal. One cannot heal perfection as intended." He looked down at the rest of her, passing his hand over her, hovering but never touching. He paused at her back and smiled, "This, on the other hand, you are working yourself to a back injury if you keep hunching over your table with case work." He let some of the magick seep into her back, taking away the minor pains he felt there.

Rose closed her eyes and had to stifle a moan in her throat. She'd grown so accustomed to that slight pain that she barely noticed it anymore. But now that Dende was relieving that pain. Oh wow. She felt like a million bucks. She opened her eyes again and smiled. "Wow, thanks," she said. "Forget going to a massage therapist, I'm coming to you from now on!" She blushed suddenly. "Well, I mean, I wouldn't come to you... JUST for that... I like you... I-I mean, I like hanging out with you! I... oh..." She was mentally screaming at herself to shut up and she could feel her face going hot. What in the world was wrong with her? She just couldn't seem to hold a decent conversation if it didn't involve work. Oh, she could kick herself.

Dende tilted his head back and laughed, full and warm, "Oh you thank me now, just wait until you get my bill." He winked at her and offered his arm to her again, the glow fading from him. "So now that we've had our excitement for our outing, why don't you tell me some more about that 'boring' childhood/hobby life of yours? What kinds of classical music? What are normal friends supposed to know about each other?" He smiled over at her.

"Normal friends?" she asked, smiling as she took his arm again. "Explain this phrase 'normal friends' to me." She giggled at her own joke. "I don't know what friends are supposed to know about each other. I only have one friend and we really don't see each other much anymore." She looked down at the ground as they walked. "This friends thing is sort of new to me, really. And as far as music, I don't have a favorite composer or anything, if that's what you mean. But I do like Celtic sounding music. I play a lot of that. Well, used to play a lot of it." A sad smile touched her lips. It had been a very long time since she had played a piano. She had loved it so much at one point in her life. It calmed her, soothed her, let her spill her emotions across the keys as she leaned and swayed with the music. But college and her career had all but squashed out her time for music. She suddenly ached for it again. "I do miss it," she admitted quietly.

Dende smiled at her, "Want to go raid Capsule Corp? I know Bulma has one somewhere in that house of hers." He smiled, perking up. He would love to listen to some music. Piccolo didn't much care for instruments, so Dende refrained from listening to it too often. "I think I would love to hear something that didn't involve the wheels on the bus." He shuddered at it, "I swear, those little girls are trying to brainwash me. They are lucky they are so adorable."

"That's so awesome that you care about them like that," she said. It warmed her heart to hear others speak so fondly of the children in their lives. It was refreshing, considering what she dealt with every day. "Capsule Corp? As in, THE Capsule Corp? You know the owners?" Rose had to admit, she was rather impressed. Not everyone could consider themselves friends with the most wealthy family in the world. And while things like that usually didn't mean much to Rose, she couldn't deny that she felt just a bit intimidated by the prospect. "I... I guess that would be okay. They won't think it's rude if we just drop in?"

Dende chuckled, he'd never really thought about it as being THE Capsule Corp. "Not at all. Ah," he paused, "It won't be a problem that they all know Goku, will it?" He started walking them down the street, heading towards the large energies he could feel in the air, "Feels like Jenny is there already. Most likely training with Vegeta." He smiled, feeling a little giddy and not entirely sure why. His spirit seemed lifted and it had been a long time since he had felt that way. Really long. Like he didn't even know he was missing it until she had come into his life. Whatever this was, be it a brief respite for the both of them, a friendship to help them through hard times. _'Just enjoy it,'_ he thought to himself. He was rather lonely up there on the Lookout. Piccolo wasn't really the talkative type, Jenny was either with her girls or at Capsule Corp. And the girls, well, they couldn't hold a conversation at length yet.

"OH! No, that won't be a problem," Rose said, her mind immediately going back to her work. She wondered if she could learn more about the Son case while she was there. How well did these people know Mr. Son and his ex-wife? She decided they must know them pretty well as she remembered the call came from Capsule Corp. She should've put two and two together that Dende would know them as well. She frowned. A piece of the puzzle had slipped through her fingers, completely unnoticed, no matter how small of a piece it may be. She was going to have to go over the case again, starting from the beginning, seeing if there was anything she had missed. She gave a soft sigh through her nose. She looked up at Dende, hoping he wasn't reading her mind again and asked, "You really want me to play for you? I'd really like to. I haven't played in forever. Just don't laugh at me. I get really into the moment sometimes. My brother always laughed at me."

Dende couldn't hide the small smiled that bloomed over his face. "First, yes I was reading your mind, but in my defense, you think a little loudly. Secondly, Yes I would like to hear you play. You have my solemn vow as Guardian of Earth that I will not laugh at you. It will be fun, won't it?" He chuckled as they neared the large domed building. He paused for a moment. He knew how to get to the backyard, which was where he could feel Catie and Trunks. They would know where a piano would be. "Come on." He waved at the security guard who let them through the front gate and he lead her around the big yard, going for the back. A spacious area for sparring, a swimming pool and a little patio for parties. He spotted Catie and Trunks and waved at them, "Trunks! Catie!"

Trunks paused his sparring match with Catie and waved. "Hey, Dende!" His head snapped back as Catie's fist collided with his nose and Rose gasped, clapping her hands over her mouth. "Dammit, Cat," Trunks grumbled. She beamed and put her hands on her hips.

Rose slowly lowered her hands, "Are you okay?"

Trunks blinked at her. "Yeah, sure I am! She doesn't hit that hard." Catie aimed a kick at Trunks' shin, but he dodged it and walked forward. "Good to see you, Dende," he grinned. "Who's your friend? Any special reason why you stopped by?"

Dende shook his head, they were wearing bathing suits and sparring. "Interesting sparring attire. Ah. This is Rose Delacour. She's a new friend of mine and. Well, this is going to sound silly. We're looking for a piano to play around with for a little bit. Does Bulma have one by any chance? I could have sworn I saw one at the last get together, but my memory is going." He laughed while reaching over to rub at Rose's back. "Sorry. I should have warned you. Trunk's father is something of a martial arts trainer. They spar frequently, but not in the house. Usually. Bulma would flip her lid."

"Yeah, Mom's got one in the family room," Trunks answered. He looked down at his swimming shorts, "I wanted to swim, but you know Catie. She's always gotta pick a fight."

"I don't hear you complaining when we go into battle and save the earth!" she snapped.

Trunks waved a dismissive hand at her. "Come on, I'll show you in," Trunks offered and led them around the edge of the pool. He paused at the door and hollered back at Catie, "And we're going swimming when I get back!"

"Fine, you bum!" she answered.

He shook his head and flipped his waist-length hair over his shoulder, leading them inside. "I don't know why mom has this thing," Trunks went on to explain, "None of us play the piano. I think she keeps hoping little Trunks or one of Jenny's kids will take an interest, but no luck so far."

They finally reached a large room with big windows overlooking the grounds of Capsule Corporation, with expensive-looking furniture and large pieces of artwork on the walls. Sitting off to one side was the grand piano.

"Oh my gosh," Rose gasped and walked to it, lightly running her fingertips over the keys without pressing them down. She smiled at how smooth and cool they were beneath her fingers. "Are you sure you don't mind?"

Trunks shook his head. "Have at it." He turned to Dende and winked. "Nice job, man. She's pretty," he said in a hushed tone and headed out of the room.

Dende turned six shades of purple as he opened his mouth to protest, but then realized he wasn't going to be believed anyway. He sighed and walked over to Rose who was admiring the piano. He admired it, too. Bulma never settled for anything less than the best there was. That included her husband, her son, and her friends. Goku alone spoke volumes. He smiled at Rose, "Think you can play a little something? Maybe relaxing… soothing. Or whatever you like."

Rose swallowed and moved to sit on the piano bench. She flexed her fingers, thinking for a moment. "You might like this one," she said and placed her long fingers over the keys. Oh, she was nervous. It had been a very long time since she had played. Purely from memory, she began to play. The piano had a big, rich sound that reverberated throughout the huge room. A smile pulled at her full lips and she lost herself in the music. It came back to her easily and she closed her eyes, leaning over the keys, playing to her heart's content. It was as if everything was suddenly right in her world again. She tossed her hair to one side of her neck, tipping her head slightly towards the piano, her fingers flowing over the keys, never striking a wrong note.

Dende felt himself relaxing as the notes filled the air. He let himself sink to the floor, leaning against the piano leg and listened, just listened, letting his eyes fall closed. His delicate ears picked up every sweet smooth note, not shrill or hurting at all. He could almost see the music in the air, the way the sounds of the struck strings danced and mixed into the air. It was so peaceful. Paradise must sound like this, he speculated. Only a sound so pure like that could exist there. He sighed, smiling happily. This moment was amazing. He opened his eyes, watching Rose losing herself. Gone where her thoughts on the case. They were truly gone at the moment. It was only her and that piano, her fingers, hands knowing exactly what to do. She moved with the music, it became a part of her, she rose and fell with the sounds, the notes. Her eyes were closed, her brow was no longer furrowed in that worry she carried with her. 'Gods,' he thought, 'please tell me who she is.'

Rose smiled as she played the last few notes, the song ending far too soon for her liking. She slowly lowered her hands from the keys, the last notes hanging in the air for a moment. She hadn't realized how much she missed her piano. She slowly opened her eyes, looking down to see Dende looking up at her from his position on the floor, his smile warming her heart. "Sorry, I lost myself there for a minute," she said softly. She swallowed. "What'd you think?"

Dende spoke, his voice quiet, as if he didn't want to disturb the atmosphere the music had created, "I think I lost myself too." He smiled at her, "I think it is a great loss that you cannot fit a piano into your apartment. Though I might be over every day just to listen if that were the case. Are you sure its been a while since you've played? It sounds as if you've been playing for decades."

Decades. That word struck her for some reason, making something within her jump to attention. She stared curiously down at him. She suddenly felt as if she had been playing for decades and she couldn't remember a time in her life when she didn't know how to play. Her mouth suddenly went dry. "Come sit by me," she said, her voice a little higher than it should've been. She cleared her throat, "Ah... I mean... if you want to... You don't have to... The floor looks uncomfortable..." God, more word vomit. Why couldn't she just shut up? What was it about being around him that made her just blurt out things? It was like she had no control over her own mouth. She pressed her lips so tightly together that she bit down on them.

Dende nodded at her and pushed himself up off the floor, brushing his hands off on his robes before sitting down next to her. He looked over at her and after a moment he bumped her shoulder, "Can you teach me? I've never played before." He lifted his hands letting his fingers brush the ivory keys. They were as smooth as silk and contrasted beautifully against his emerald skin. He pressed one key, listening to the sound a moment before he pressed another and then sheepishly looked over at her, "It seems I lack your talent to slip into music."

Rose's breath caught in her chest as Dende sat next to her and she let out a nervous giggle when he bumped her shoulder. "You can do it," she said. She took his hand in hers and placed it properly over the keys, her heart hammering at the touch of his skin again. She placed her hand on the next set of keys. "I've never taught anyone to play before," she said quietly. She played a few notes slowly, smiling as she saw Dende's eyes studying the movements of her fingers. It was a simple, pretty tune, only a handful of notes long. "Now you try," she smiled.

Dende pressed the keys in the order she showed him, he fumbled once, but after a few more tries, the melody was starting to come together. The weirdest sense of deja vu overcame him and he just smiled. Whatever was happening, he didn't know. For once, he really didn't know. It both excited and frightened him at the same time. He pressed the keys again, this time faster, more confident, "Like this?" He asked, before turning his head to look at her for confirmation and stopped short. She had been leaning in to see his hands and now they were face to face.

Rose hadn't expected him to turn his head so suddenly. She'd been peering over his shoulder, conscious of not touching him. But now his lips were tantalizingly close, the side of her nose barely brushed against his. With very little movement she could capture his lips with hers. An ache sprung up in her as she had the overwhelming urge to do it. His green skin looked so smooth and warm, his lips full and enticing. What would it be like? Her heart thundered against her ribs and she wondered wildly if he could hear it. Her mouth fell slightly open, breathing heavy... She was frozen, unable to go through with it, yet unable to pull away.

Jenny came into the family room, toweling at her face, "I thought I heard the piano. Dende! What are you doing here?" She recognized the woman sitting next to him, "Rose, right? Are you here about Goten?"

Dende never turned so fast in all his life. He felt interrupted, annoyed and partially like a school boy caught doing something he shouldn't. He laughed it off.

Rose felt terribly nervous, her hands shaking as she scooted away from Dende on the bench a bit. "Uh, well, no, actually," she answered. "It's my day off and I, well, Dende and I went for a walk and ended up here." She felt Jenny's gaze on her and shifted uncomfortably. She still was unsure of what Jenny thought of her, especially after the little incident at the cabin. She suddenly wondered if she might not approve of Dende's friendship with her.

Dende could pick up almost immediately that Jenny was wary about the woman, worried more for Goten's well being than anything, "Yes, just a little walk on her day off. She mentioned she could play the piano and I thought, it might be a nice distraction."

Jenny wasn't sure what to think, her brother-in-law heading off her thoughts told her he was reading her mind,_ 'Riiiiight, I wasn't born yesterday.'_ "Well, that's nice. Glad to see this piano getting some use."

Rose stood up, feeling a bit guilty and not quite sure why. She fixed her face in a polite smile, "Thank you, Dende, for getting me out of the house for the moment." She glanced at Jenny. "It was nice to see you again," she said as she headed for the door.

Dende was at a loss, his heart aching as the words left her lips, "Wait, Rose!" He shut his mouth the next instant, wondering what he was going to say, "I...uh, I mean, at least let me walk you back to your apartment."

She paused at the door and looked back at him, something in her heart shouting at her to accept his offer. Let him walk her home, take him back into her apartment. Oh, but what then? She was afraid of the temptation, she'd nearly kissed him before Jenny walked in. "That's okay," she said softly and gave him a smile. "It's not that far. I guess I'll see you around." And with that, she slipped out the door, hurrying back towards her little apartment, her face on fire and her mind spinning as she thought about the wonderful afternoon she'd spent with him.

* * *

**Author's Note: **In case anyone is wondering, the title of this chapter refers to the song that Rose plays for Dende here. If you go to youtube, you can find the song by searching "Wild Flowers - Piano Poem 746." It's a beautiful song. Thanks to everyone who's been reviewing our story! And stick around for the next chapter - I think ya'll are gonna like it. ;)


	20. Soul Mates

Gohan sighed and shook his head, his arms crossed over his chest. His mother was at it again. He didn't have time for this. The caseworker was coming to his house that day to interview him and his wife and he'd hoped to be in a pleasant mood when he met her for the first time. That was NOT going to happen with his mother here, demanding that he back her up, wanting him to claim that her house was the best option for Goten simply because she had carried him for nine months. She was his mother and he should be with her, according to her way of thinking.

"Mom," Gohan tried again in a forced calm voice, "I am not going to lie for you. Frankly, I can't believe you did what you did. You're right; he is your son. You shouldn't have hit him like that in the first place!"

Chichi threw her hands up in the air. "Are you out of your mind?! You're actually going to believe your father over me?! I NEVER raised a hand against my poor dear boy! Your father was too rough in his training! Now what better place for my son to be safe than my house? My HOME." She was pacing and her face was trying to turn a new shade of red, "Certainly better than whatever house your father could provide with that tiny cabin with those acts going on! What are they going to do when they," she paused and shuddered, "do things? Shove my poor boy out in the cold?!"

Gohan squeezed his eyes shut, praying for patience because if he asked for strength, he would surely slap his mother through the wall. "Tien built that cabin himself. I'm sure they could add on a room for him." He paused and drew a long breath, "Besides, I think they're leaning more towards him coming to live with me. Why do you have such a problem with that? And don't give me that crap about Dad. I spent my whole life training under him and Piccolo. I NEVER once got a mark like that from training. I know what you did, mother. And I haven't forgotten what you did to me. You're lucky I even let you in the house anymore."

Chichi huffed and crossed her arms, "I did nothing of the sort, your father hid those marks on Goten." She sighed, "And I want him at the house because then I could make sure that he gets the proper education he needs to become a doctor! I know it's all just fun and games with you here, and I couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't be hurt. I know that he would still see his abusive father! It makes me sick! SICK to see those marks on his body," She sniffled, "Oh my poor baby boy!" She didn't even acknowledge Gohan's statement about what had happened to him when he was younger.

Lindsey leaned against the outside of the nursery door upstairs, fighting the urge to go down to the living room and tear her mother in law to shreds. Everyone knew Chichi had done this. And here she was, still lying about it.

"Quit calling Dad abusive!" Gohan shouted at the same moment Goku, Tien, and Sabriena appeared in the living room, Gramma Arthusia with them. "Oh, hey," Gohan said to them. "I didn't know you all were coming to visit." He turned his attention back to Chichi, "You need to go. The caseworker will be here in a little bit and I have things to do."

Chichi felt her rage boiling up, pointing her finger at them, "No! How dare you think you can shove me out of the door! I'm not going to let you talk to that case worker and charm her with witchcraft and spells! I should have known Goku would stoop so low to resort to tricks and devil worship to sway you all!" She glared over at them.

Goku blinked at Chichi. He hadn't been expecting this, to hear his son defending him from Chichi calling him abusive. It hurt. It hurt him deeply to hear that and to know that Chichi was still trying to spread around those rumors, but hearing Gohan defending him made him feel a little better.

Gramma felt dizzy the moment they arrived at Gohan's house. Not from the instant transmission, but from the pure evil rage that filled the place with Chichi's presence. "Devil worship?" she asked in a dangerous voice, stepping closer to the other woman. "What did you call my craft? Devil worship?!"

Gohan actually took a couple steps back and Sabriena moved to hide behind Tien, but peered out around him, hoping Grandma would give Chichi the tongue-lashing of her life.

"How dare you harm that sweet, innocent child? How dare you deny the man you called your husband the things you did! You are nothing but a pathetic, evil, ignorant cow," Gramma spat.

Chichi turned on the woman, feeling herself taking a step back, but not knowing why. Not wanting to be humiliated, she drew herself up and glared at the other woman, her face turning red, "A COW?! Listen here, GRANDMA, I'll not have my son, my poor baby boy near you or your evil magick! You were probably the one helping that stupid oaf hide his marks on my boy!" She whirled on Gohan, "You see! That's how he was doing it! You can't let him see him anymore! They've been against you this whole time! Who knows what kind of rituals and demons they've been summoning?"

Goku felt his own rage building up in him and he moved to step in front of Gramma, "Don't you dare talk to that way to Gramma, Chichi! How could you! Our son? He's so small and he trusted you! HE TRUSTED YOU!"

Gohan was getting ready to shout back at his mother, but the words just wouldn't seem to come out.

Gramma appreciated Goku's protection, but she didn't need it. Not from this miserable wench. She calmly placed a hand on his arm and stepped back around him, her eyes boring into Chichi's. She wanted a clear shot at this woman. The room seemed to darken, save for the candles sitting on the coffee table that inexplicably lit themselves, their flames dancing higher than normal. The old woman looked fierce and intimidating as she began to chant, "I call upon the dark Goddess, whose names are Kali, Hecate, Lillith, Nemesis and Morgane. Darksome powers of the night, gather round the candle's flame, send this enemy in shaded flight, send this enemy away in shame. Before the night is over, before the day is through, whatever you have done to others, shall return to you. By the powers of earth, air, fire and sea, as I will it, so mote it be!"

Chichi's eyes went wide and she was about to shout back at her. How dare she recite some rubbish mumbo jumbo spell, devil worship spell at her? Her mouth opened but all she could make was some undignified squeak, her face turned redder and redder as she tried again, but she stomped her foot like a spoiled child not getting her way and turned and grabbed her purse up off the floor and ran for the door, letting it slam behind her.

Goku blinked, watching as his ex-wife was suddenly just...gone. He felt a calmness, a peace when Gramma had placed her comforting hand on him and he let her step in front of him. The house darkened, but he felt no ill will towards him, his mates, or his son and daughter. It was, daresay, almost amusing the way Chichi's face had turned those shades of red and the noise she made almost made him laugh. He would have, if he wasn't so sure that this serious moment would strike him down as well if he did give in to the urge to laugh. He couldn't suppress the shiver that ran down through his spine and he went to her, wrapping his arms around her, giving her a hug as the air in the house cleared and already started feeling welcoming again, "Remind me never to make you mad, Gramma."

Lindsey thundered down the stairs, her eyes wide. "GRAMMA!" she cried. "You... you just...!"

Gramma turned on her, "I know what I did. And she deserves every bit of it." She still looked fierce, her eyes flashing as she fixed each of them with a hard stare. "Do. Not. EVER do what I just did. It is magick far more powerful than any of you can control."

Lindsey's head was spinning. She had never, ever heard of Gramma hexing anyone. "I thought you said witches never hex anyone," she breathed.

"I told YOU never to hex anyone," Gramma corrected her. "A witch that can't kill, cannot cure, either. That sorry excuse for a woman will pay for what she has done. Her evil poisons everything she touches. No good can come from her. And now no good will come to her." She withdrew her cigarettes from her purse, the powerful magick still coursing through her veins, making her hands shake. She marched from the room and out the back door to the porch.

"Holy hell," Gohan breathed. "I wasn't expecting that!"

Goku blinked after her. "Ah, this might sound like a stupid question, but what exactly did she just do to her?" He looked around, seeing the wide-eyed expression on his daughter's face. He looked behind him to even see Sabriena hiding in Tien's arms. He went over to Lindsey and pulled her into a hug, suddenly realizing he had just witnessed something very powerful, very ancient, and he didn't exactly know what that meant. He didn't even want to think about her any more. He was surprised he didn't hear his little grandson screaming, what with the sudden powerful hex, but the spell wasn't directed at him. In all honesty, it probably made him feel better to have Chichi out of the house.

Lindsey hugged Goku tightly, fighting the shiver that ran through her. She pulled back from him, running a hand through her hair. "She just cursed the ever-loving shit outta Chichi. Basically, all the bad things she's done will return to her times three."

Sabriena couldn't help the smirk that pulled at her lips, "Like the world's biggest karmic bitch-slap."

"Language," Tien growled warningly at her.

Sabriena pointed a finger at Lindsey, "Her fault! She's a bad influence!"

Lindsey snickered and Gohan laughed openly at that. He didn't know what to think. "Gramma said something about before the day is out? Does that mean it'll happen today?" he asked.

Lindsey shook her head, "Not necessarily. The universe, the Goddess, doesn't necessarily share our views of time. Before the day is out could mean a year. Could mean just sometime before Chichi's life is over. Or even sometime in her next life. But she's getting back EXACTLY what she's given to EVERYONE. And then some."

Goku shuddered at that, his eyes closing. Everything? He remembered the day that Gramma had revealed all the marks on Goten's skin, just a few weeks ago. And that had just been from two weeks time? Three? Combine everything she'd ever done to him and then to himself. He couldn't stop the shudder that ran through him. "Oh gods." He didn't know what to think, but deep down, he felt some justification for what had been done to Goten. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before he looked down at Lindsey, "Is it okay if I go hold Phoenix for a moment? I need happy feelings."

She grinned at him. "Of course. He's just playing in his crib. He'll be happy to see Grandpa."

Sabriena was practically wiggling with glee. "Ohhhh, Chichi's gonna get it!" she sing-songed.

Tien looked across the house, the way Gramma had left. "Should we, uh, go check on her?" he asked. He didn't feel sorry for Chichi in the slightest. He just hoped that whatever spell Gramma had cast wouldn't come back and affect them in the long run somehow. He'd never seen a hex before and he was fairly certain he never wanted to see it again. That had been almost frightening and he didn't scare easily. He looked at the candles on the coffee table that were still burning. He almost reached over to put them out, but then thought better of it and left them alone.

Sabriena shook her head. "She's just smoking. Give her a minute. She'll be fine when she comes back inside."

Goku went up the stairs, smiling as he opened up the room to the nursery, "Hey there! There's my little man." He leaned over the crib, looking down at his grandson who was gumming his own tail, staring happily up at Goku, his eyes brightening up and he immediately reached out for him with short, chubby little arms. Goku laughed and carefully took the tail out of the boy's mouth before picking him up and cradling him in one arm, "Hey now! Don't chew on that, you'll go blind!" He laughed and tickled the little baby, "Oh man! Smells like someone's got a stinky diaper! Yeah that's right, you do! Come on, let's get you changed up and go down stairs and see Gramma!"

Phoenix giggled and cooed at his Grandpa. His little black eyes stared up at him and his mouth split in a smile. He snuggled into Goku's shirt for a moment before Goku laid him on the changing table, quickly cleaning him up, and picked him back up. Phoenix's tail curled around Goku's wrist and he purred softly, grabbing his Grandpa's shirt in his little fist and nuzzling against him.

Gramma re-entered the living room at the same time Goku came down the stairs with the baby. "Oh gods," she sighed. "Well, he's done for the day. He's got that grandbaby and you know he isn't going to share." She shot Goku a wink and smiled, her temper calmed and her warm demeanor back.

Goku chuckled and moved over to Gramma, "Welllllll, I suppose for you, I could make an exception." He laughed before he snuggled his nose into the spiky black hair, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply, smelling the fresh scent of the baby power. "Mmm, but he's so warm." He grinned over at her before he moved to sit down on the couch, cooing at the little one in his arms, "Do you think I should share you with Gramma? Should I?" He rubbed his nose against the little button of the baby's nose, giggling with the little one. He caught Sabriena's look and laughed, "What? You want to hold him?"

Sabriena shook her head. "I'm good. I'll steal him later." She watched Goku with the baby, her heart warming. Gods, he was so amazing with kids. "I need to go shopping for him again," she said thoughtfully.

"No you don't!" Gohan argued. "We barely have room for all the stuff you've bought for him already."

Sabriena grinned, "Yeah, well, some things about me never change. I still like to shop."

Gramma rolled her eyes and shook her head, stepping closer and peering down at the baby. She still couldn't get over that tail. She crooked her finger at him, clicking with her tongue. The baby giggled at her and tried to grab her hand. "No, no, no," she laughed, "Gramma just smoked. She can't hold you right now. Don't you ever let me catch you doing it!" The baby tipped his head at her, scrunching up his little nose.

Dende knocked on the door to Gohan's house. He could already sense the tremendous energies inside, the unexpected visitors, even some of the backlash from whatever ancient magick had been cast. He smiled as the door opened. "Gohan!" He embraced the Saiyan warmly. "Hey! I'm sorry it's been so long, I've really been meaning to stop in and see how everyone was doing, to see if there was anything you guys needed, if I could help in any way." He stepped into the house, looking around and smiling at everyone.

"Hey Dende!" Gohan grinned, letting his friend into the house. "This is a pleasant surprise! Not too often you can come to visit."

Gramma looked over at the Namek with interest. She couldn't recall meeting him before. He looked very much like Piccolo, only not quite as tall and the features of his face were a bit softer than Piccolo's. But there was something about him, something that made him seem older, wise beyond his years.

"Well, this is turning out to be quite the party," Gohan said, eyeing his wife as if it had been her idea.

She held her hands up innocently, "I didn't do it this time!" She looked around at all of the unexpected guests. "Anybody want something to drink?" she offered, not knowing what else to do. Oh lord, what was the caseworker going to think when she showed up to a house full of people?

Dende chuckled and walked over to the living room, seeing a new face. "Ah, you must be Grandmother Arthusia. I can't say that we've had the pleasure of meeting before, but I have heard wonderful things about you." He bowed before her, "I am Dende, Guardian of Earth." He smiled at her and then at Goku, who looked over at him with a wide smile.

"Dende! What are you doing here?! Earth finally give you a day off?" Goku asked.

The Namekian chuckled, "She never gives me a day off, but I can relax a moment to spend with friends that I haven't seen in ages." He laughed and leaned over, ruffling the little babies hair, "Oh wow! He's gotten big!"

Phoenix blinked wide-eyed at Dende, screwing up his little face as he reached for the antennae that were far out of his reach. He was distracted when Goku grabbed his hands and pretended to bite them, and Phoenix squealed and giggled again.

"Guardian of Earth?" Gramma asked, cocking an eyebrow, looking impressed. "Well, it's nice to meet you." That explained the wisdom she could sense from him, the calm demeanor. But there was something more to him. It felt ancient. Powerful. Yet still calming and safe. She blatantly stared at him, trying to figure him out. Saiyans. Nameks. They were all going to be the death of her. She stared unblinking at him, her mind working furiously, trying to sense his emotions to tell her more about him. "You and I are going to have to spend some time together this afternoon," she stated bluntly after studying him for a moment. "You intrigue me."

Dende turned his attention back to her, smiling brightly at her, "But of course! Gohan and Lindsey speak very highly of you. I think I might have some questions about this magick of yours. I feel as if it is of the Earth herself. Very calming." He smiled at her, not at all phased by her intense gaze; he was used to being stared at when he went out. Rare as it was, but it happened. "And of course, I will try to help answer any questions you might have for me."

Gramma liked this young Namek. She was about to start questioning him about his position as Guardian, but out of nowhere an intense feeling overwhelmed her and she suddenly felt very dizzy. Not a moment later, the doorbell rang and Gohan answered it again.

"Oh, hello! You must be Rose?" he greeted the tall woman at the door.

She smiled kindly, "I am. You must be Gohan. It's nice to finally meet you." He shook her hand and ushered her into the house. Rose blinked, staring around at all the familiar faces. "Oh! I didn't realize everyone was going to be here today. Hi Goku," she smiled. "Hi Dende." She hadn't seen him since that day she'd played the piano for him, which had been over a week ago. Her eyes fell upon the elderly woman standing near them. She looked pale and off-balance. "Ma'am? Are you okay?" Rose asked in a concerned voice.

Gramma swayed and stumbled to sit on the couch next to Goku. Oh dear GODS. What in the world was going on? The whole house seemed to fill with a powerful energy. There was a screaming that rang in her ears; two voices. Or was it more than that? Her head swam again. She couldn't tell where it was coming from, but it was agonizing to listen to. It overwhelmed her and nearly brought tears to her eyes. She'd never heard such an anguished crying before in all of her life. This even paled in comparison to what she'd felt from Goku when his mark died.

Goku blinked a moment and reached out a hand, placing it on her shoulder to steady her, "Gramma?! Are you okay? Hey Lindsey, can you get her some water?" He was worried about her.

Dende had been about to smile warmly back at Rose, surprised though he was to see her there, but he turned back to Gramma. "Are you hurt? I can heal you if you want?" He tried to reach out to her, to feel for what was wrong with her, but his eyes widened as he realized there was something blocking him. Nothing malicious, but there was a solid wall there that just seemed to demand privacy.

Lindsey ran to the kitchen and returned a moment later with a glass of water. "Here, Gramma," she said, holding it out to her.

Gramma took the glass, but didn't drink it. She looked up at Rose, narrowing her eyes. Who was this woman? If she meant harm, well, Gramma had no problem casting another hex that day. She was in a mood as it was. She paused. No, this woman didn't mean harm. In fact, she wanted nothing more than to help them, to help Goten. There was nothing "wrong" about Rose. But where was this screaming coming from? Gramma had never heard anything like it in her entire life. It was tormented, longing, as though two lovers were searching desperately for each other, calling out to one another. She closed her eyes, concentrating. The overwhelming sadness and loneliness seemed to wash over her every nerve. She felt tears in her eyes that were not her own.

It... It was coming from the guardian.

And the caseworker.

_Holy shit._

She needed a moment to think. She schooled her expression and opened her eyes, smiling as she sat up straighter and squared her shoulders. "I'm fine, dears. Now, I think this room is a bit overcrowded. I believe this young woman needs to conduct an interview, correct?"

Rose nodded, still staring at the older woman with concern.

Gramma stood, stating loudly, "Well let's leave them to it. The rest of you come outside with me." And she promptly turned on her heel and led the way out to the back porch again, eager to put space between Rose and Dende until she could figure out what on earth was going on.

Goku blinked after Gramma but nodded and stood, smiling at Rose. "Good to see you again," he said warmly and followed the rest of them who were headed outside.

Dende stood, looking at Rose as well and smiled at her. Good gods above, his heart was pounding and he didn't know why. He swallowed and followed Goku; it was just that Grandmother. He had to be worried about her, that's what it was, surely. Outside seemed odd, like the energy around him had changed, but he took a deep breath of the fresh air and the cool earth as he moved to sit on the edge of the porch. He kicked off his shoes and rested his feet on the earth, sighing deeply as he spread his toes in the cool blades of grass.

Gramma sat on the bench seat of the porch, staring at Dende. She finally took a sip of the water she still held in her hand, studying him. That was the most intense thing she'd ever experienced. It was still there, just not as strong now. She shook her head.

"Gramma, are you okay?" Sabriena asked as she sat down. She couldn't remember ever seeing Gramma look so rattled before.

"Oh, I'm fine," she answered. "Old age can be a bitch."

Sabriena laughed loudly, throwing her head back. "Gramma, you crack me up!"

Tien wasn't so easily convinced. He stepped up behind Goku under the pretense of looking down at the baby in his arms. "Do you think she's really okay? She looked like she was going to pass out," he whispered softly.

Goku smiled at Tien, leaning back against him, taking comfort in his presence. "Yeah, she's alright. If she really wasn't okay, she would say so, don't you think? She has had a long day. This was her first time traveling by instant transmission. She's probably just tired. And she did cast that hex." Goku rocked Phoenix in his arms, the little Saiyan was yawned widely and curled his little tail securely around Goku's wrist.

"It happened right before Rose walked in," Tien whispered. "You don't think maybe she sensed something about her? Something we should worry about?" He knew Goku trusted Rose, but Goku always trusted people, sometimes even when he shouldn't. And after all the things they'd been through, Tien couldn't help but be leery of her. He was polite enough when she was around, but he still had his reservations about her.

Goku shook his head, whispering back, "No. I trust Rose. I can't begin to think that she means harm to us or to Goten. She really just wants to help. She's seen some really bad things in her line of work. Gramma was probably just picking up on all those emotions that Rose has to put up with on a day to day basis. Besides, if she was really was someone who meant harm or had any ill thoughts, I'm sure Gramma or the spells around the house wouldn't have let her close. I certainly won't get in Gramma's way."

"All right, if you say so," Tien agreed and dropped the subject. He wasn't about to get in Gramma's way either. Gramma met his eyes as if she knew he questioning the things going on there that day and he looked away from her.

Gramma shook her head. _'Stubborn, stubborn, stubborn.' _ Still not completely letting that wall down. "Old man set in your ways, aren't you, Tien?" she teased.

He looked back at her, blinking widely. "Who are you calling old?" he asked, trying not to smirk. But the next second, his stomach coiled and he felt rather nervous. Had he really just shot a come-back at the old woman?

"Tien!" Sabriena gasped.

Gramma threw her head back and laughed, "Aha! You're finally coming around! About damn time." She looked him over, letting her eyes linger over him. "Turn around. Your husband told me your bum is better than Vegeta's. I'd like to see for myself."

"You what?!" Tien cried, his face blushing a furious red as he rounded on Goku, who side-stepped away from his husband and whistled a little tune, trying to look innocent. Tien took a step towards the Saiyan who smoothly moved to hold the baby between himself and the taller man. "Put the baby down, Goku."

"Nope," Goku answered and quickly sat down next to Sabriena, cuddling Phoenix tighter against his chest.

Gramma was more than amused by the little spat she'd stirred up and she snickered as Tien huffed and sat himself firmly next to Sabriena's other side. She scooted across the bench closer to where Dende was sitting on the edge of the porch and gave him one harsh tap on the shoulder. "Now you tell me about yourself, young man."

Dende tilted his head back, smiling at the grandmother before he turned around, tucking his legs up underneath him and folding his hands in his lap. "Of course. Um... just in general? Well, I am a Namekian, brought here to Earth by Goku to take over as Guardian. It's been quite a few years since that happened. Long story as to how we all met as well. Almost as if fate played a hand in it to be honest." He wasn't entirely sure what she wanted, so he started from the beginning, growing up on Namek, being raised to be a guardian, or at least a village elder to one day take over his father's position. How Frieza threatened to destroy his world and managed it, but how Goku came with his friends to defend them. They saved his race and made a new planet. It was some miracle that they had managed that.

Gramma listened with rapt attention to every detail. The story he told was amazing, especially the detail to which he remembered things from when he was so young. She lit another clove cigarette, never tearing her eyes from him as he spoke. There was something about him that just struck her. It wasn't his appearance. Gramma hardly noticed it, to be honest, and had been very fond of Jenny's children, thinking they were incredibly beautiful with their pale green skin. It was more the way he spoke; he didn't seem to use slang like the others his age. His speech was polite, careful, but there was an underlying oldness to it. And even though he was quiet on the outside, she could still just faintly hear that longing scream echoing from him. It sounded like his own voice, but faint, crying out for something as though it was lost and wandering. Looking for something. Gramma cocked an eyebrow. It... surely not. He wasn't even human. Could it be possible? 'Anything is possible, you old crone, you should know that by now,' her mind scolded. She tipped her head as she looked at him. "Dende, do you ever have memories that aren't your own? Or dreams that seem to be almost too real? Perhaps not even of your time or of your home planet?"

That caught Tien's attention again. Gramma was up to something, searching for an answer to a puzzle that none of them even knew was there.

Dende paused, looking at the grandmother with a curious expression. He let his brow knit together in confusion. By the gods, he wished he could read this woman, but there was a layer of mystery shrouded around her, protected by an ancient magick he dared not pass. So he nodded slowly, "All the time." He studied her expression, but couldn't pick up anything from it. "More so since I came here to earth, but when I was young, younger than I care to remember, I would have dreams of earthlings. Of lives coming and going. When I came here to earth, they grew. I have always thought of them as the dreams of the people of earth, the earth itself connecting me to those who dwell here. "

"THAT explains a lot," Gramma said softly, more to herself than to him. She stared at him for a long moment, the pieces falling into place in her mind, and she smiled at him. "You're a very old soul. Now I think I understand." She paused again and laughed, "I couldn't figure you out at first."

"Old soul?" Tien asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Gramma nodded, "Past lives. Having lived here on the earth before. Some people can remember pieces of their old lives. There are stories of children who can recall where they lived, who their husband or wife was, how they died. And the information they give is accurate. Not everyone can remember, though. Most have to be in a very deep hypnotic state to recall these memories. They get imprinted on the soul and only after we cross over do we remember the lessons we've learned in all our journeys here upon the earth." She fixed Dende with another intense stare. "But you can remember some of those anyway, can't you? Now I see where your wisdom comes from. You're a very interesting young man, Dende."

Dende felt a hot blush flash across his cheeks and he rubbed the back of his head. "Thank you, ma'am. I might say that you are the first person to comment so that wasn't based on the color of my skin." He laughed, warm and bright, "I can't remember if they were my lives or not. Being a human is very odd to me. Or is it? I cannot remember much. Though..." He shook his head, "It's nothing."

Gramma tipped her head at him, studying him. Her eyes narrowed, her voice carrying a bit more intensity as she spoke. "If anyone judges you on your appearance alone, they are no more than a narrow-minded and hopelessly biased soul. Do not pay them any attention. You've heard the expression beauty is only skin deep? Well so is color. To HELL with anyone like that." She took a deep drag on her cigarette and exhaled sharply as if the very thought pissed her off to no end. "Now, you were getting ready to say something else. It didn't sound like 'nothing' to me."

He chuckled, resting his cheek on his hand, leaning on his elbow. "Just that when I remember these instances, be them dreams, memories, fragments in time, it always feels as though, and this may sound silly, that I am searching for something. Or someone is. There is always a feeling of pain and sorrow. I often wonder if it is an omen of things that are happening, things that have passed, or things yet to come. It is why I try my best to keep the earth prepared. I do not know what is on its way."

Gramma gave a warm laugh. "You remind me of an old story, about how humans were first created." Would it be safe to tell him the story? She didn't want to interfere with what the universe had laid out. This was so much bigger than any of them and none of them even realized it. Of course, a tiny push couldn't hurt, could it? "I'll have to tell it to everyone when they're done with their interview inside." She smiled, "Lindsey would kill me if I told it without her. She loves that story."

Sabriena grinned, "Gramma, you should do a past-life regression on someone. Those are SO interesting to watch!"

Gramma rolled her eyes and shook her head at Sabriena. "Not today, dear. I'm rather worn out from dealing with your husband's ex-wife." She smirked, "Trouble here thinks she used to be Egyptian royalty."

Sabriena scowled and crossed her arms, "Well that's what I saw!"

Gramma couldn't help but laugh again.

Goku chuckled and looked over at his wife. "Royalty huh?" He laughed and took a moment to take the tail out of Phoenix's mouth. "Now one day, you are going to bite down on that and it won't be very much fun, kiddo," he scolded. He looked back over at Sabriena, "Must be why you took up cooking, wanting to eat like royalty in the old days?" He laughed, "Not that you'll hear any complaints from me! Though, when Goten comes by for a visit again, you'll have to give him another lesson."

Tien laughed, "Explains why she's so spoiled, too."

Sabriena slapped at him and he cringed away from her, laughing harder.

Phoenix screwed up his little face at Goku for taking his tail away again and grabbed Goku's hand instead, nomming toothlessly on his finger.

"You two better straighten up, or I'll make you treat me like royalty when we get home," Sabriena threatened.

Gramma snickered at her.

The back door opened and Gohan stepped out, Lindsey and Rose following him. "May we join you?" he asked.

Goku smiled over at them, "Of course you can! Come on, Gramma was just going to tell us a story! And she better make it fast, I'm being eaten alive over here." He snickered down at the little one in his arms, "Now don't be like that, I'm doing you a favor!" He laughed as Phoenix just went on nomming, his eyes falling half lidded. Goku just shook his head and let the little one continue to gnaw on his finger. "You're lucky you are so cute," he cooed as he snuggled with the baby.

"Oooo! Story. What story?" Lindsey asked, grinning.

"Hush up and I'll tell you," Gramma said. There it was again, that overwhelming screaming and crying, the powerful emotions that filled the air. It was strange to her that no one else could feel it. But she was prepared for it this time and mentally put up a shield to tone it down a bit.

Rose sat down at the table, looking through her pages of notes, trying to ignore that butterfly sensation in her stomach again. It made her hands shake and her heart race. Gods, what was wrong with her?

"Now listen, because I'm only going to tell it once," Gramma said, waiting for them all to take seats. Lindsey sat cross-legged on the porch like a kid at storybook hour and pulled Gohan down to sit next to her. Gohan smiled at Dende and rolled his eyes at his wife's behavior. Gramma was quiet until everyone was settled and she turned her gaze patiently upon Rose, who was still sifting through her papers.

She seemed to feel the old woman's eyes on her and she looked up, a questioning expression on her face.

"Yes, you too. Now pay attention, dear."

"Y-Yes ma'am," Rose stammered, feeling her face go hot. She hadn't meant to be disrespectful. Her eyes flickered over to Dende, thinking she'd like to go sit by him for a moment, but decided against it. She didn't want to look unprofessional in front of the grandmother.

Dende glanced over at Rose, he remembered visiting her and the first day they met. He was still trying to figure out why the dragon had spoken to Rose. He wondered if it was because the dragon knew how important she was to this case and what she was doing for everyone here. She looked so very tired, he wondered if maybe she wouldn't mind some company for the night. He could cook her a meal while she relaxed. Maybe watch another movie, take her mind off the weight of the world she draped around her shoulders. He turned back to the grandmother and smiled, waiting to hear the story.

"I'm going to tell you about the very first humans that lived here on the earth," Gramma began. "They were created by the gods and each had four arms, four legs, two sets of genitalia, a single head with two faces, and one soul. The humans had great strength and threatened to conquer the gods. The gods feared their strength so much that they decided that the humans must be destroyed with lightning, just as the gods had dealt with the Titans. But the problem with this was if they destroyed the humans, they would also lose the tributes given to them by the humans. So Zeus came up with a creative solution to their problem. He split the humans in half as punishment for their pride. This, of course, doubled the number of humans and the number of tributes given to the gods. But there was one problem; the humans only had one soul. So when Zeus split them, the soul was ripped in half. These split humans were in utter misery, to the point where they would perish from such heartache. Apollo reconstituted their bodies with the navel being the only remnant harkening back to their original form. Each human would then only have one set of genitalia and would forever long for his or her other half; the other half of the soul. It is said that when the two find each other, there is an unspoken understanding of one another, that they feel unified and would lay with each other in unity and would know no greater joy than that. And that, my dears, is how humans first came into being and where we get the concept of 'soul mates'."

Dende didn't like the sound of that and he frowned. "How terrible a life that must be, to have so much pain and sorrow."

Goku tilted his head, "So are there really people like that in the world? Is it just humans who have soul mates?" He glanced over to his husband and wife, he felt for them a love like nothing else he'd ever felt. And he would never be ashamed of that or doubt that love. It was curious to him to think of these humans Gramma spoke of.

Grandma smiled at Goku in an understanding sort of way. "No, dear, it's not just humans who have soul mates. I daresay you've found yours, even if your story doesn't match the legend exactly. But that's okay. You three are not a reincarnation of one of the original humans. In fact, until very recently, I thought all the original humans had completed their cycles here on earth. But you bring up an interesting point. Soul mates, apparently, do not have to both be human. Look at you. Look at Vegeta and Piccolo and their mates."

Goku chuckled and smiled warmly over at his mates and nodded before he looked over at Gohan and Lindsey, "You're right." He laughed at the look she gave him, "Yes, you are always right, Gramma. How did you find out about the original humans? Did you meet one? What do they look like? And what do you mean by completed their cycles?"

Gramma grinned at him, so full of questions. She loved that about him. "The story is well-known in Greek mythology. I love learning about the gods and goddesses. You're never too old to learn. And I only recently met one. They look just like everyone else. In fact, they don't even realize what they are yet."

"Then how do you know?" Rose interrupted. She was intrigued by the story and wanted to know more, but she suddenly blushed, "Sorry... I didn't mean to cut you off."

Gramma gave her a kind smile, "You're fine, dear. I feel things differently than most. I can pick up on things about people before they even realize it themselves." She turned her attention back to Goku. "Everyone has many different lessons to learn here upon the earth. So many lessons, in fact, it is nearly impossible to learn them all in one lifetime. This is why we have reincarnation. You live a life, learn the lessons of that life, and at the end, you take time in Summerland to reflect on the lessons you've learned and to rest and spend time with loved ones until you choose to come back, to take a new life, and learn the next lesson. Sort of like school. You learn the lessons for the year, you take the summer to relax and enjoy yourself, then you return to learn something new. There is no set number of lives that a person will live. Sometimes the lessons have to be repeated if the soul did not learn everything they were supposed to. It was believed that all the original humans had crossed over forever, that they had completed their lessons. It would seem, however, that one has not. Or that they still have some sort of work to do here."

Goku loved it, "Wow! I want to meet this person! They're bound to have one heck of a story to tell!" He grinned and then looked surprised before looking down to see Phoenix had moved on to grab at Goku's shirt, tugging and pulling in a way he recognized. His eyes went wide and he laughed, "Whoa there little fella, best we give you back to your mommy for that." He handed over his grandson, shaking his little hand goodbye, "Someone's hungry!"

Lindsey laughed and took the baby, heading into the house with him. "Hold on, you impatient little Saiyan," she laughed.

Dende pondered on the story, it was intriguing to him as well. He wondered if there were some way to find this soul and help them on their task.

Gohan turned his attention back to Gramma, "So who is this person? Or... ah... people? I guess? That's kind of confusing, two people but one person?"

"I can't tell you that, dear," Gramma answered.

"Why not?" Tien protested. Even he was interested by the story.

"Well I can't just go around sharing all my secrets, can I?" she laughed. She looked at Dende, almost as if reading his thoughts, "They have to find their other half on their own. No matter how tempting it may be to want to help them. Believe me, I know. It's not my nature to ignore this sort of thing. I do so love to meddle in people's love lives." She couldn't help but to throw a wink at Tien as she said it.

Dende chuckled and ducked his head at being found out. "Ah yes. Well, what can I say? It's in my nature to want to help others." He smiled and leaned back, thinking on it just a moment more. "You said that this person would have immense power. Power to rival the gods." He looked concerned, "Should we be worried if they get together? As terrible as that sounds, I mean, if they get together and realize that power, wouldn't they try to take over the earth?"

Rose couldn't stop the smile that pulled at her lips. It was more than obvious that Gramma had picked up on Dende's thoughts. She looked back down at her paperwork, playfully thinking, _'How's it feel, Dende?'_ She ducked her head a bit at the look he gave her.

Grandma laughed loudly at Dende's question. "I am absolutely certain that these two people would never even be tempted by such a thought. You needn't worry about that." She considered him for a moment, "Take it or leave it, but I think you have enough to worry about as it is. You need to focus on YOU. They will find each other. It's closer than they realize." She couldn't help but chuckle to herself.

Gohan leaned closer, narrowing his eyes, "You know more than you're telling, don't you?"

Grandma pressed her lips together, fighting the smile, and took a sudden interest in the sky.

Goku laughed and shook his head, "Leave it at that then. She knows what she's doing! As long as this original human doesn't mean any harm, then I don't have a problem with them." He leaned back against the house, stretching his legs out on the porch, lifting his arms behind him and he yawned, "Too much excitement for me already."

Dende chuckled and nodded, bowing his head to the grandmother, "Thank you, ma'am. I will keep that in mind. And thank you for the story. It was fascinating, truly. You will have to come by the Lookout some time, I know two little girls who would love to hear that. Maybe three if you count Miss Jennfier."

Grandma smiled. "I would love to see Jenny again." She stage whispered to him, "She's my favorite."

Sabriena stuck her tongue out at Gramma and Tien lightly popped the back of her head, scolding, "Be nice."

Gramma laughed, "See there, Trouble? Both of your husbands are on my side now."

Rose snickered and shook her head. She was still trying to concentrate on her work in front of her, but she just couldn't seem to. The fascinating story kept rolling around in her brain and her nerves were all a flutter. She sighed and gathered up her papers, "Well, I should be going. It was very nice meeting you, ma'am." She smiled at Gohan, "And it was nice to finally meet you."

Gohan nodded, "Same here. Come back any time if you have more questions or need anything."

Rose thanked him and looked from Goku to Dende, "I guess I'll see you all sometime," she said and grabbed up her purse, preparing to leave.

Dende rose to his feet, going after her, "Ah Miss Rose, I was wondering, if you would perhaps like some company tonight. It has been a while since I last checked up on you. If my cooking did not put you off your appetite last time, I wonder if perhaps I could persuade you to let me cook for you again tonight? I happen to know a fantastic recipe for vegetarian lasagna. And you never did show me that other movie you were going on about."

Rose turned to him, a slight blush touching her nose and cheekbones; those damned butterflies in her stomach just wouldn't go away. "Ah, sure, Dende. I'd like that." She met his eyes, a small smile pulling at her lips. "I get off work about six tonight. So, maybe around seven? That'd give me time to get home and change out of these work clothes. I still have to go back to the office for a while and work on some cases until then."

Dende nodded. "Very well, I'll see you then," he said. He felt giddy and silly as he watched her go.

Rose couldn't stop the huge smile that split her face as she made her way back through the house, looking forward to her evening with Dende.

Everyone was looking at Dende when he turned around to them as Rose left, "What?!" His purple blush was growing on his face and he shook his head. "She works hard, she doesn't have many friends to help her out."

Sabriena crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow at Dende. "Mmhmm."

Gohan was fighting the urge to laugh at his friend's blush. "So you got a hot date tonight?" he teased.

Gramma swatted him. "You leave him alone," she scolded. Idiots. Making him uncomfortable like that for being nice to his new friend. Well, Rose and Dende were much more than that, but she didn't dare speak it out loud. She couldn't help the elated feeling she felt that Dende had made the effort to spend one-on-one time with Rose.

Dende just chuckled at them all. They were all characters, that was for sure. Very good people at that. He rather liked Grandmother Arthusia, the air of mystery around her that made him keep guessing at what she might be thinking but with the kindness in her to know she meant no harm. And if she took care of Chichi, well... He knew that as Guardian he shouldn't stand for that kind of behavior, but he would make an exception in this case. Long had he wanted to tell that horrid woman what he thought of her, but such actions were not becoming of a guardian.

Sabriena grinned and turned to Tien, sliding her arms around his waist to stare up at him. She wanted to tease Dende more, but Gramma's warning was enough for her to know better. "I'd still like to know who this original human is," she muttered.

Tien smiled down at her, "Ah, the way I figure, anyone with that kind of power will end up around us anyway. They always do."

Gohan looked over at him, "It does seem to turn out like that, doesn't it? Weird. I don't know of anyone else in the world with our kind of powers that isn't either directly a friend or enemy." He shrugged, "I bet you're right, Tien."

Goku found himself scooting closer and closer to Gramma, finally resting his head on her lap, looking over at his son, "Oh, we will probably meet them before too long. I mean, Gramma said it was going to be soon." He waved his hand in the air, "How did the interview go?"

"Oh, fine I guess," Gohan said, leaning back on his palms. "I mean, she seemed okay with everything." He shrugged. "She really doesn't seem like she wants Mom to have Goten. Thank God for that."

Tien crossed his arms over his chest and stated firmly, "He won't go to your mother either way. We're just trying to do this without causing a bunch of drama. But if custody doesn't go to Goku or you, I'm taking that boy out to our cabin myself. And I'd like to see Chichi try to stop me."

Gohan gave a nod. "If it comes to that, I'm with you."

Goku sat up, looking down at his hands in his lap. He really didn't want to take Goten by force, but there was no way he was going to let him go live with Chichi. There was no way he was going to let her touch him again. He felt stupid. So stupid for not noticing it before. Wrapped up in his own problems, he couldn't even pay attention enough to his son. If Sabriena hadn't noticed...

He blinked away his tears, Chichi's words turning over in his head, that she regretted everything they had together. If only he had realized then what exactly she had meant, that she regretted their sons, maybe he could have saved Goten a lot of pain and suffering. He closed his eyes, wondering where his littlest was, if he was being well taken care of, if he was eating enough. Gods how he just wanted to hold him tightly and never let go.

Gramma reached for Goku, pulling him closer to her and laid his head in her lap. She ran one hand through his hair, the other rubbing at his back. She could feel the guilt and the heartbreak radiating from him. She bent her head low, whispering in his ear. "Goten's safe. No one is hurting him, I promise. Remember the necklace? He's just fine. You did what was right. Don't blame yourself, dear."

Goku nodded, trying to take relief from her words, her hands in his hair, but all he could see was those marks on his skin, his back, his face. He blinked away his tears, letting Gramma's words take over in his head, calm and soothing, stable and all knowing. Goten was safe. She had given him a trinket that would never allow anyone to hurt him again.

Goku nodded against Gramma, "Right." He wiped at his eyes, not quite meeting the gazes of his mates. He was ashamed at this, how it all worked out. What they must think of him now? But listening deep down, he knew. They only offered love and support. His mates. His soul mates. He looked over at them, feeling his spirits lift as they gave him understanding looks. He sat up and smiled at Gramma, tucking a grey strand of flyaway hair behind her ear before he went over to Tien's free side and laid his head down on his lap.

Gohan offered Goku a sympathetic look. "It's gonna be alright, Dad. I didn't see it either. Don't blame yourself. Mom's the one who did this, not you."

"He's right," Tien added and squeezed at his husband's shoulder. He was not going to let Goku blame himself for this anymore. Goku would never have willingly let his boy come to harm and everyone around them knew that. It was time to stop thinking about that and time to figure out how to get Goten back.

Sabriena looked to Gramma. "You can't, you know, give that spell a little boost, can you? Make it happen, like, tomorrow? They can't award custody to her if she's dead."

Gramma gave a snort of laughter, "Unfortunately, no, dear. It will manifest itself as the universe sees fit."

"Damn," Sabriena muttered and ducked as Tien moved to pop the back of her head again. "HA!" she cried as she sat back up straight.

Goku chuckled and looked over at his older son, reaching out and squeezing his hand, "Thanks Gohan. You and Lindsey, you've both been amazing through this whole thing. I'm sorry that it had to come to this, but I can't keep making excuses. Not for me. Not for your mother. She used to be a better person, but now..." He shook his head and turned his nose into Tien's leg, looking down at the ground.

"Alright, enough of this," Gramma said and stood, squaring her shoulders. "There's no need dwelling on the past. What's done is done. She will not have that little boy back and she will pay for what she has done. Goku you are not in the wrong here. You can blame yourself all you want, but that doesn't change the fact that SHE did this. You weren't worried about your son because you shouldn't HAVE to worry about it. Now, let's go inside and have a slice of cake and possibly a stiff drink." She reached her hand down to Gohan, who took it, and pulled him to his feet. "You did hide that bottle for me like I asked, right?"

Gohan laughed, "Yeah, yeah. I'll get it out for you."

"Come on you lot," Gramma called over her shoulder as she and Gohan went into the house. "It may not be midnight, but I can still whip up a bitchin' pitcher of margaritas."


	21. No Greater Joy

Rose didn't know why she felt so anxious for Dende to arrive. The clock seemed to have stopped, she was checking it so often. It was just Dende, they were just friends. Friends. The thought made her smile. She liked the idea of having new friends. She was glad to be out of her work suit and in her plain shirt and jeans. She finally settled to flop down on the couch to wait for him to show up. She couldn't help the smile on her face as she thought of him and Goku.

Unbidden, her mind drifted to the day she'd gone swimming with them. She could remember both of them, the way they looked in the river. Goku's warm, tanned skin glowing almost golden in the hot afternoon sun over the chiseled muscles of his chest and his washboard abs. The way he'd hissed and arched his back at her touch. And Dende with his emerald green skin, his inviting smile. She could still see the little trails of water as they slid down his body. Those guardian's robes he wore hid a lot. No one would suspect the athletic body he hid beneath them. Maybe not as defined as Goku, but still there was plenty of yumminess to behold. Especially the way the white swimming trunks he'd wore that day didn't quite fit him and hung low on his hips, revealing a deeply cut V of his body.

Goodness, it was suddenly hot in her apartment.

She rubbed at her face. She needed to stop getting so excited about being around them. Normal people didn't get so flustered around friends, did they? Of course, most people didn't get to say that their only two friends in the world were aliens, either. Two incredibly sexy aliens.

She sighed and leaned her head back against the couch, "Rose, there's something wrong with you," she muttered to herself. This was all still so crazy to her. And now adding in that Grandmother - she didn't know what to think anymore.

Dende had a couple full bags of groceries as he arrived at Rose's that evening. He had made sure to swing past that little outdoor market to pick up some fresh vegetables for their lasagna that night. He took extra care to knock on the door with his foot, smiling brightly at her when she answered the door and held it open for him. "Sorry about the delay. I was at that market down the street and they have too many choices for produce," he chuckled as he set out his things in her kitchen before fixing her with a stare, "Want to help me cook?"

Rose blinked widely. "M-Me? Cook? If you don't mind ending up poisoned, I suppose I could try." She stepped nervously over to the counter, looking at the brightly colored vegetables. She gave Dende a nervous smile, "I'm going to have to find a way to repay you." She started washing the vegetables in the sink and setting them back on the counter. "Okay. Now what? This is about as far as I get when it comes to cooking."

He chuckled and got out a cutting board and other supplies, pots and pans, "Here. First we slice up the tomatoes and garlic, onions. We'll make a sauce for our lasagna." He stepped up behind her, taking a knife from the counter and placing it in her hand as he grasped a tomato from one of the bags and put it on the cutting board in front of them. He smiled as he wrapped his hand over hers and guided her movements to cut the tomato into equal parts. His heart skipped at the closeness of their bodies, her slender frame pressed back against his chest and stomach. She smelled like flowers and sunshine. Once the fruit was cut properly, he helped her toss them into the sauce pan. "See? Now you try."

Rose swallowed dryly. Her heart was beating a million miles an hour as he guided her hand to slice the tomato. The way he stood so close to her, his voice soft and patient. Her eyes nearly fluttered closed as his scent hit her nose . Clean water and mint. Oh gods, he wanted her to do this on her own. She held the knife shakily and began to slice the tomato just like he'd shown her. It wasn't nearly as uniform as the one he'd helped her with, but she supposed it would do. She laughed lightly, "Clumsy me with a knife? Be afraid. Be very afraid."

Dende laughed, "Don't worry, if you cut yourself, I'll be happy to heal any damage." He smiled as he went about boiling a cup of water, crushing garlic, and adding enough herbs so that the sauce would be flavorful. His mind was still ablaze as he tried to figure her out.

Rose watched intently as he worked. There was no way she'd ever be able to do that. She was lucky she hadn't lost a thumb just slicing the two tomatoes. "So that was an interesting story that old woman told today," she said, watching as Dende worked. "Have you met her before? What'd you think of what she said?"

Dende smiled as they cooked together, the conversation between them easy, "I have heard of her from Jenny and Lindsey. I must admit, it was quite the surprise to get to hear her tell a story first hand today. She visited the Lookout once. Sadly, I was not there that day. Paige loved the story she told and would not stop repeating it for days after her visit."

"Paige is so cute," Rose smiled, standing on tiptoe to peer over Dende's shoulder to watch as he stirred the pot of sauce. "That smells amazing, Dende," she purred into his ear as she placed her hand on his shoulder to steady herself. She was beginning to wonder how she even managed to walk in her high heels. Perhaps it was only when she was around Dende or Goku that she got exceptionally clumsy.

Dende smiled, chuckling as her thoughts flowed through him without him even meaning to. "Thank you. It's really easy. Just whatever smells good, you throw in a pot, and keep an eye on it. Hope it doesn't burn and then hope it doesn't taste half bad." He looked at her, feeling dizzy from her hand on his shoulder and he leaned into it a little bit, turning his head to softly ask, "Why don't you get a pot of water boiling for the pasta?"

Rose gave a nod, her stomach all in butterflies again at the sound of his soft voice, and grabbed the big pot he'd set out. "Just fill it with water?" she asked, feeling the blush burn on her face. She really should have learned how to do this. She blushed more as he chuckled and nodded at her. She filled it and set it on the stove, staring uncertainly at the knobs and turned one on to high. "Heh. Would it be silly if I said I'm proud of myself for at least knowing how to turn the stove on?" she asked, trying not to laugh.

Dende chuckled, "Not at all." He smiled at her and reached over, getting the container of salt and placing it in front of her, "Now get a good pinch and throw it into the water, it'll flavor the pasta for us after the water dissolves it. Hmmm," he hummed thoughtfully, "And then get a bigger pan out so we can skillet fry the vegetables. And we'll need a big baking dish to put this all together." He laughed, "Sorry, let me know if that's too much all at once, I'll slow it down."

Rose blinked for a second, running over his directions in her head. She dug in the cabinet for the skillet he'd used the last time he'd cooked for her. She set it on the counter. "Ah, baking dish?" she asked uncertainly, looking in the cabinet. She had no idea what a baking dish was. Weren't they all baking dishes? 'Okay, think. Mom always used that rectangular glass pan-thingy,' she thought to herself. She finally found it and pulled it out to set on the counter. "And... salt," she recited and grabbed a container out of the upper cabinet.

Rose opened it and went to pour a bit in her hand, but it came out faster than she intended and she suddenly found herself with a handful of salt. "Oh no!" she half-cried, half-laughed. "Uh, Dende? Help?"

Dende turned to her, setting the sauce to a low simmer and he laughed at the sight. He carefully took the box from her and held it open for her, "Pour that all back in," he chuckled. "Don't worry about the mess, I will clean up for you later." He chuckled as the last of the salt grains fell back inside, "There we go. Here. We just take a few pinches." He pinched at her in the air, "Good heavens I'm going to have my work cut out for me with you! You will have to come by the Lookout for weekly lessons."

She screwed up her face and bowed her head, her face burning with embarrassment, but she was laughing at the same time. "Dende, I told you I'm hopeless in the kitchen. If it involves more than punching a number on the microwave or pouring milk on cereal, I'm lost." She calmed her giggles and tried again, pinching the salt and sprinkling it in the water. "Okay, I'm done now, right?" she laughed. "I'm going to ruin this if I do anything else."

Dende chuckled, "Done already? But we were just getting started!" He laughed and took mercy on her, "Alright, you go and relax on the couch; I'll call you back over when it's time to reassemble this. You can't mess that up. It's only tasty failure after that." He smiled and shooed her away, making sure she stayed away from her casework and had a glass of wine before he left her alone.

Rose settled back on the couch, frowning slightly. She hadn't really meant that she was done cooking. But then again, she was really hungry and she was probably going to screw it up or get in his way. Or maybe she had been too much in his personal space, peering over his shoulder like that. She sipped her wine and tucked her feet up under her on the couch. This was why she didn't have friends. She felt awkward and could never tell what people were thinking or what they meant. Not unless she was interrogating them for her work, that is. She could do that just fine. But put her in a normal situation with normal people and she just seemed to screw it all up. She stared at the glass in her hand, circling the rim of it with her fingertip, losing herself in thought.

Dende looked over at Rose above the island. He smiled, but deep down he wondered if he should have kept her up there with him cooking away like they always did… Huh? No, they just recently became friends and he only cooked with her this one time. He shook his head, "Now stop pouting like I just sent you to detention, you're still going to help me put this thing together." He laughed, "Sorry about that. Lasagna is one of the longer meals to prepare. You might think I'm trying to invade your space."

She whipped her head around to look at him. Was he reading her thoughts again? She blinked and stared at him for a second before she looked back down at her glass and shrugged. "I don't mind if you invade my space. I... I mean..." She rolled her eyes and groaned. Why did she become a babbling idiot around him or Goku? "I just meant I didn't feel uncomfortable around you. You know what I mean," she finished with a huff and leaned her cheek on the heel of her hand, her elbow resting on her knee. "I'm a mess," she muttered to herself.

Dende looked up at her, surprised. He checked everything to make sure it could stand for him to be away for a second before he went over to her and knelt before her, "Relax. I know what you meant, or didn't mean, or whatever it was you were trying to say. I just hope you aren't mad at me. You have your own way of doing things, your own way of expressing yourself and your thoughts. It's endearing and pure. It's what Goku and I are in love with about you. You are a fun and caring person and we wouldn't change you for the world. I thought you might be more comfortable watching for a little bit, instead of me barking orders at you."

Rose blinked her eyes repeatedly at him. She knew he didn't mean 'in love' like THAT, but still, hearing the words from him made her heart turn into a big, gooey puddle of emotion. "I'm not mad at you," she said, meeting his eyes, trying to will away the blush that just constantly seemed to burn her face. "And I didn't think you were barking orders. I need to learn how to talk to people so they can tell when I'm joking or when I'm serious. That was my fault." She leaned just a little bit closer, staring into his impossibly dark eyes, a smile pulling at her lips, "It's probably best that you sent me away. I'd just figure out a way to burn the water or set the vegetables on fire," she giggled.

Dende chuckled, leaning closer to her, "I doubt that," He said softly before he stood and went back to the kitchen, looking over at her while he cooked, "So! Tell me about your day, aside from this afternoon." He asked and listened intently as Rose recounted another day of hardships to him. It was not fair that one person had to go through such horrors alone. Then again, he was one to talk, but he wasn't about to tell Rose about some of the days he had had. Like the day terrorists had flown planes into buildings in America. Hundreds if not thousands of souls cried to him that day and the shock wave created by it had the whole world weeping. And the tsunami that wiped out, he shook his head. No, best Rose didn't know of those.

Rose sipped her wine glass as she finished telling him about her day and the things she'd had to work on after she left Gohan's house. "Oh well," she shrugged. "Just all part of the job. I do have good days sometimes. I swear." She looked over at the wall of pictures, smiling. "Days where children are reunited with parents who do love them. Or they find new families who give them the love they never even knew existed. That's why I do what I do. For those rare moments where I feel like I'm actually doing something good." She got to her feet and walked to the edge of the kitchen, watching him as he cooked. "So what about you? You can share with me, too. I think, well, maybe we understand each other better than others do."

Dende smiled at her and nodded, "I think we do, too." He sighed as he stirred the pot of pasta and flipped the vegetables, "Well, I have to warn you. What I do is hardly considered, well, polite table conversation. It's much like what you do, except instead of abuse, I hear the ones screaming for help who cannot be helped by relocating a child. Natural disasters. Terrorists. It all collects in my mind and I try to send out the energies that I can to make the events less worse than they are supposed to be."

She stepped closer to him, concern across her features. She didn't like the sound of that, the slight sadness she heard in his voice. Whereas she usually only had to deal with a couple children at once, he heard hundreds, maybe thousands of people crying out for help at once? "That must be overwhelming," she said softly. A mirthless laugh escaped her lips. "And I thought dealing with a couple of abused children was hard. But you hear all of them, don't you?" Her mind wandered to all the natural disasters she'd heard of. Earthquakes. Hurricanes. Other such disasters that left thousands of people dead or searching for loved ones, everything they knew and loved gone. She swallowed harshly. "I'm sorry you have to handle that all by yourself, Dende."

Dende shook his head, "Thank you. But even for a human, hearing a couple of abused children is more than enough because those are ones you can save, Rose. Even though I hear them," Tears prickled at his eyes and he lowered his head, "Even though I hear them, it does not mean I can help them."

Rose swallowed harshly, her heart breaking at his words. "Oh Dende," she whispered, taking his face in her hands, bringing his eyes up to meet hers. "You do what you can. I know it. Think of how much worse this world would be without you." She gently swiped her thumbs over his eyes, wiping away the tears. Her hands trembled slightly, her heart racing once more. She loved the warm feel of his handsome face in her hands. She gave him a sympathetic look, her voice still a whisper even though they were the only ones there, "You can talk to me. Really. I can listen just as well as you can. We could be that for each other. I mean, if you want. It'd be nice to know someone understands."

Dende's own heart was pounding, he wanted nothing more to kiss her. But her words, they struck truer than most he had heard in ages. He leaned his head against hers, feeling a calm come over him that soothed him to his very core. He swallowed once, twice, looking up at her, into those beautiful sparkling eyes of hers, "I'd like that. A lot...if you didn't mind."

Rose gave a tiny nod. Dende's face was so close to her own, she had to fight the shaking she felt in her hands. "I don't mind," she answered breathlessly. Gods, why did her heart have to slam against her ribs like that? Her breath caught in her throat. "It's nice to have someone who understands. Someone who I don't feel like I have to censor the things I see and feel." What was she feeling? This draw to him. Oh, she wanted him to kiss her. Just once.

Dende pulled away from her, in a tactical movement. He didn't want to scare away a new friend by suddenly kissing her and kissing her and kissing her some more. He wasn't sure of what would happen, but he didn't want to lose her because he couldn't control himself. No Earthling, aside from Jennifer, had ever shown interest in a Namekian before.

Rose straightened as he suddenly pulled away and she bit her lower lip, looking away from him. That was awkward. The thought of being with him was silly. They were far too different. He probably wouldn't even see her like that; she was human and he was not. He would probably prefer one of his own kind. "So," she said slowly, trying to think of something to cut the tension, "Should we, ah, finish cooking supper? Or are you going to make me sit here and just smell it all night?"

Dende tipped his head back and laughed, rich and pure, "Well, come along then Miss Rose. You are going to learn how to put this dish together before we can eat it. Perhaps we can start a movie while it bakes for forty-five minutes?" He smiled as he lead her over to the stove, checking on everything and making sure it was done. Butterflies erupted in his stomach, he hoped she liked the dish.

"Forty-five minutes?!" she asked, her eyes going wide. "I had no idea it took that long to cook! Good grief." She watched as he layered the sauce and vegetables and pasta into the dish. She swallowed nervously when he told her to give it a try. She followed his directions, trying to keep everything in the right order and amounts. She gave a slight laugh, "I have noooo idea what I'm doing."

Dende smirked as they finally layered the last of the ingredients together and spooned out the last bit of sauce and held the wooden spoon out to her, "Last lick," He said smiling. Paige loved the last lick back at the Lookout, especially when he made chocolate cake. Any boyfriend she dared to bring to the Lookout, he was going to have to arm with that knowledge.

Rose smiled at Dende, her blue eyes dancing as she captured the spoon in her mouth. "Mmmm," she moaned lightly as the flavors burst across her tongue. She pulled back, letting the spoon pop from her lips and she swallowed. "Dende, your cooking tastes amazing." She licked the corner of her mouth and swallowed again. She couldn't wait to eat their dinner.

Dende shuddered. Oh by the gods, it wasn't fair. How would he ever stand it? "Rose..." He started, but then changed his mind and he just smiled at her, "You are great, amazing," He laughed, looking around, smelling the cooked lasagna, "Why don't you set the table, I'll get everything ready. "

Amazing? She didn't quite understand where that compliment had come from, but she smiled and went to set out the plates and silverware. She stepped back and looked at the table. She really needed fancier dinnerware if she was going to start having friends over to eat. She'd had the same mismatched set since college, a hand-me-down from a cousin. She wrinkled her nose at the table but turned to Dende. "So, ah, you said we could start the movie while the food cooks?" she asked. She was confused at the slight purple blush on his cheeks. "You okay?"

Dende nodded, raising a hand to block the blush, "I'm fine, just warm from the cooking." He smiled at her, "Come on then, we can set the table together and then watch the movie. And, I should say thank you for having me over."

"No, thank you for cooking for me. Again. I owe you." She paused and fixed him with a curious stare. "Didn't you say you liked sweets? I know this little bakery downtown. It's amazing. I'll have to take you there sometime." She lead the way over to the couch and popped in the movie and settled back on the couch. "I mean, if you think you'd like to go, that is. Too bad they're closed now. I'd run and get us dessert."

Dende smiled at her, "I'll have to come back so you can get us dessert next time, I promise to get you more of a head up next time I decide to cook dinner for you."

Rose smiled as Dende sat down next to her on the small couch as the movie started. She tried to calm her breathing, to stop the fluttering in her heart. She felt like a high schooler at the movie theaters on a first date or something silly like that. She and Dende were just friends. That's all. Just friends. But that still didn't stop the smile that kept trying to creep across her face. They watched the movie, laughing together until the timer on the stove went off.

"Oh!" Rose cried at the sudden ringing. "That startled me!" she laughed, pressing her hand over her heart. "Can we eat? I'm starving. That sauce was beyond amazing. I can't wait to eat!"

Dende chuckled and leaned over and pressed the pause on the remote before he stood up and went back over to the kitchen to get the lasagna out of the oven. He began to cut slices out of the casserole dish and put generous portions onto plates. Some of the vegetables they didn't use, he put on the plates as side dishes, but as he did, he had the strangest sense of deja vu. As if he had done this a million times before.

Rose smiled as Dende set the plate on the table and sat down in his chair with a plate of his own. "You've always been an amazing cook," she said without thinking. She jumped slightly. She'd only eaten his cooking once before, but suddenly there was that damned sense of familiarity again. "I... I mean..." she stumbled over the words, not sure how to cover up what had just slipped from her mouth. Her eyes went wide and she blinked at the plate in front of her, feeling completely flustered.

Dende laughed, feeling odd. He knew...he knew what she was trying to say, but at the same time, he was confused because there was no way it could be possible, "My cooking does seem to transcend space...its come from three worlds by my count," He smiled and dug into dinner.

* * *

Rose sat down on the couch with Dende, smiling widely at him. "Thank you for dinner. It was delicious." She settled back into the couch feeling full and slightly sleepy. "You better watch out or I might make you come fix my supper every night!" She picked up the remote and clicked the movie back on as Dende sat next to her. She smiled again and leaned her head back on the couch, tipping it ever so slightly in Dende's direction and sighed contentedly. She was full and sleepy and there was something just so comforting about Dende's presence.

Dende followed her lead and stretched out on the couch. He couldn't stifle the yawn that worked its way out of his mouth, past his sharp fangs. He couldn't remember the last time he had been this tired. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so at ease with the world that he could feel this tired. It must have been ages ago, "You'll have to forgive me," Another yawn split his head, "If I fall asleep on you."

Rose smiled sleepily. "It's okay," she said softly, yawning herself. She scooted just a bit closer to him, her side pressed up against his, her head resting on his shoulder. Her eyes felt heavy and the TV sounded very far away. The only thing that existed to her in that moment was Dende's strong, solid warmth at her side and she let her eyes fall closed, feeling herself drifting off to sleep. But the next moment, she felt very much awake and opened her eyes. Dende's hand was on her cheek, his thumb gently stroking her cheekbone as he looked down at her. "Dende?" she asked softly. Gods, his touch sent pleasant chills down her spine.

Rose's heart warmed at the smile on Dende's face. She nuzzled into his palm as his hand cupped her cheek and she tentatively pressed her lips against it. Oh gods, she wanted more. So much more from him than just this simple gesture. She turned slightly on the couch, moving just a bit closer, her eyes locked on his. This just felt right, even though she couldn't explain it. She barely knew him. No. She knew him well. Had known him forever. Hadn't she? She couldn't remember now. Did it matter? The way he stared at her so intently, his warm hand on her face, Rose couldn't stop herself. She slowly leaned forward until their lips were merely a fraction of an inch apart. She gave him a questioning look. "Please. Kiss me."

Dende didn't know what was wrong with him, they had been watching a movie, his eyes growing heavier and heavier, Rose had been leaning against him. The next thing he remembered was that he just had to touch her, the soft skin of her cheek sent thrills down his spine. And now, their breath mingled between them, making everything feel like it was meant to be. Sparks and butterflies going around and around in his stomach as he leaned forward, sealing his lips against hers, his entire body sighing as they met, suddenly feeling as if the world shifted around him, oh by the gods. This, this was heaven. He pulled Rose into his lap, crushing her to his body, moaning out with want as she settled over him. He gasped in surprise as he felt himself waking up, as if he were shaking off chains.

Rose felt she could scream with happiness or excitement or victory or what exactly she felt, she didn't know. The feel of his lips against hers made her heart sing and she wrapped her arms around his neck, tilting her head as she kissed him. His strong arms pulled her against him, making her sigh and she parted her lips, letting the tip of her tongue play against his lips until he opened his mouth, letting their tongues dance together. He tasted like clean water and mint, the way he always had. She didn't even question it this time; she just let herself accept that somewhere, at some point, they had done this before. She moaned lightly against the kiss, pressing herself more and more into his embrace.

Dende nearly sobbed against her, he felt a happiness working its way through him that he didn't understand, how or why, it didn't matter, he had her back, and that was all that mattered. She tasted of flowers and spices, something so familiar to him, he didn't even know he had been missing it until he tasted it upon her. He slipped his tongue inside her mouth, dancing along hers, exploring every inch he could reach, their breath becoming one as they came together. He lifted a hand and slipped it into her hair, gently tugging, pulling, massaging. Gods, he wanted to worship her body, it had been too long. He didn't even have to ask if she was okay with it. He just knew. And maybe the consequences wouldn't be so bad afterwards, but by the gods he had to have her, "Where have you been, my love? I thought I would never see you again."

"Searching for you. Always, longing to find you. I've missed you so," she answered back, nearly breathless. "It's been so long." She kissed at his neck, burying her face into it, clinging to his shoulders as if she broke contact with him he might slip away from her again. Tears of happiness burned her eyes at finally being reunited with him. "I've been so worried about you. I love you more than life itself, my dearest."

He held her closely, wrapping his arms around her securely, "And I you, dear heart. I am sorry for making you wait. I was on a different planet this time around. The gods were so truly worried about us." He turned and buried his face into her hair feeling calm and content, but the deep longing to be joined with her caught him off guard and he tightened his grip in her shirt, "Please," his voice was strained, "It has been far too long, I need you. I need to be with you now. It cannot wait. This is the longest we have gone without being joined."

She jumped at his words, realizing how true they were. How long had it been since they were united as one? She had to have him, to feel nothing between them but the completeness of their bodies joining together. "Yes," she breathed in his ear, nipping lightly at it before she pressed kisses along the underside of his jaw, his throat. She opened her mouth to suck at the smooth, emerald skin, feeling his pulse beneath her lips. She squirmed in his lap, feeling that need growing stronger, pooling low in her belly, making her ache for him. "Please, my love. I want you more than words can express."

He sat her up and moved her off of him before he reached for his robes. He watched her carefully as he removed each article of clothing, afraid she was going to vanish in an instant. He smiled down at her as she took in his new form, but he felt no humiliation, never from her, "I hope you don't mind the green skin, my dearest heart." He said softly as he let his pants drop to the floor and he stepped out of them before going to her and dropping down on one knee as he reached out for her, carefully peeling her shirt off, unbuttoning her pants and sliding them with her underwear off at once.

She smiled at him, cupping his cheek in her hand. "It's beautiful. Breathtakingly beautiful," she answered softly. "I love you no matter what form you may take." She scooted to the edge of the couch, sliding her hands up his arms, studying him. He was perfection. She stole another quick kiss from him, sliding one of her long legs against his thigh, bringing it up to rest on his hip as her hands roamed over his body, wanting to touch every inch of him, to memorize the feel of him, just in case they were ever parted again. She didn't know if she could stand it. "You are perfect," she whispered to him.

He smiled to himself and closed his eyes at the feel of her skin upon his, "As are you, perfection." He smiled warmly at her, gently taking her from the couch and settling her down on the soft rug on the floor. He settled between her legs, feeling an answering ache in his own body. He ran his hands up and down her curves, her skin the color of cream, marveling at the contrast of colors between them, "Amazing..."

Rose smiled at him again, tracing her nails along the lines of his chest, his arms. Never had he looked so amazing to her. She trailed her hand down his stomach, tracing the line of his hip down between his legs, her fingers brushing against his length. She thought she should have felt nervous to touch him like that or to be embarrassed at lying naked before him, but she found she felt none of that. She was safe and loved, she trusted him completely. She carefully wrapped her fingers around his length, stroking him slowly, studying his expression as she touched him.

He moaned softly at her touch, his dark eyes falling into hers, "Rose," he sighed and rocked his hips into her touch, "Oh by the gods how I've missed you." He reached down to her, brushing his hands over her breasts, teasing at her nipples, pinching them lightly and watching as they pebbled under his touch. He let his head drop further past her breasts, down her body, to the soft curls and he sucked in a breath at the heat he felt coming from her, "My love, may I?" His fingers hovered over her slick folds, waiting for permission and he traced a nail along her outer lips, feeling her quiver.

"Yessss," she breathed, arching her hips up against his hand. Oh by the gods, that felt so good already. His feather-light touch sent chills through her entire body and she shivered in anticipation. "You don't have to ask," she said softly. "I love you... I trust you... I need you." She slightly tightened her grip on his hard flesh, ever so lightly flicking her thumb back and forth across the tip, spreading around the slickness that met her touch. She could feel him pulsing in her hand, growing harder by the moment. "Please, Dende, please touch me."

He chuckled and paused a moment, turning around and lowering his face down near her damp curls before he carefully pushed two fingers into her heat, groaning at the sensation of her tight hot flesh around him, her body slick with her desire. She smelled amazing, warm spices, hint of some flower he couldn't name, he lower his mouth to her lips, suckling at her clit.

Rose cried out in pleasure, unable to stop herself. His mouth on her most intimate spot made her wild with desire, wanting more, wanting to give the same to him in return. She grabbed his hip and moved him to straddle her face, admiring his hard length before her. She ran her tongue along the length of it, a smile pulling at her lips as he shivered. "Dende," she breathed, her hips wiggling against his face, his hand that pressed so perfectly into her body. She wrapped her lips around the head of his cock, letting her tongue play over it for a moment before she gave it a long, hard suck.

Dende didn't know what was more intoxicating, tasting her, giving her pleasure, feeling her hips bucking up against his face and fingers. Her juices dripping out of her, onto his nose, his lips. Her hot mouth closed around him, sucking at him as if she were trying to get his very soul to emerge. By the gods, she knew what she was doing. A wave of déjà vu hit him hard, making him dizzy as he leisurely thrust into her mouth, "Rose," he moaned against her, panting, "I won't last much longer if you keep that up," he gasped before lowering himself and latching onto her clit again, the hardened little nub and flicked his tongue over it.

Rose moaned obscenely around his hard length in her mouth as his tongue flicked over her, making her clench around his fingers. She wasn't going to last much longer either. She went after his cock with renewed enthusiasm, bobbing her head over it, her cheeks hollowing as she sucked him, trying to milk him with her tongue. This was incredible. The way he knew exactly how to touch her. Even more surprising was the way SHE knew what she was doing. She'd never, ever done this. Yes she had. She'd done this a thousand times before with him and him alone. She pushed the thoughts from her mind. The only thing that mattered in that moment was his pleasure. She squirmed against him, her orgasm creeping up on her faster than she had expected. Rose screamed in her throat as she went over that edge, her every nerve singing in pure bliss as she tensed over his fingers, writhing beneath his hot mouth as she rode out the waves of her orgasm.

Her orgasm caught him by surprise and suddenly sent him crashing over his own edge as well as he drank deeply from her body, lapping up the essence that flowed freely from her, moaning and gasping out as he came, his world going white as he felt himself swell in her mouth and splash his seed down her throat. He sucked on her clit, moaning as he roared out his orgasm and prolonged hers. Oh by the gods, the way she clamped down on his fingers, he shivered as he thought what that amazing heat and tightness would feel like on his own cock. Finally spent, he rolled over to his side, carefully removing his fingers from her bringing them to his face and licking them clean, sucking her juices from his digits, "Delicious," He sighed happily.

Rose swallowed the amazing hot liquid on her tongue. "Mmmm, yes you are," she purred. She crawled over him, lying her chest against his, smiling down at him. "I'd nearly forgotten how sweet you taste," she whispered, tracing the edge of his ear with her finger. She lightly pressed her lips to his, then pulled back to stare into his eyes. "I'm so happy I found you again. I was starting to lose hope," her voice cracked slightly and she let her head drop to his shoulder, breathing in the comforting scent of his skin. "Dende, I never want to lose you again, my love. It has taken us so long to find one another this time." She swallowed, trying to calm her emotions. It didn't matter how long it had taken, they were together now. "I will love you until the end of time," she whispered in his ear, pressing her body against his. She needed to join with him, for their bodies to be as one once more. "I want to feel you inside me. Please, my love? Even if only for a moment."

Dende sighed against her as he tasted himself on her lips, pining for her to be pressed against him again, no part of them separate, "Yes," He moaned, "Never again love. I grow weary of searching for my heart each cycle that passes." He rested his hands on her hips, one hand on his length holding himself upward for her as he guided her down upon him. Stars flashed in front of his eyes at the feeling of her vice like heat bearing down on him, "My love!" He gasped out, "Is this your first time in this body? I do not want to cause you harm."

"Of course it is," she said softly, "I would be with no one but you. You should know that, my darling." She pressed down upon him, feeling his hard length slipping into her. She expected pain, but there was none, which confused her. She thought on it for only a moment before she fully seated herself on him, a soft cry escaping her lips at how he filled her so perfectly. She couldn't seem to catch her breath and she laid against his chest, panting already. "You would not hurt me. I trust you."

Dende couldn't contain the moan that slipped out of him as she took all of him at once, his hips resting against her thighs, "Oh good gods, you feel amazing love, oh Rose. Finally. We are finally whole again." He bit his lip, she was perfect fit him perfectly and he pulled her down until they were chest to chest, he slowly thrust up into her shuddering at the sheer pleasure of the act, "I feel as if I could stay this way forever with you."

"I feel the same," she answered softly. She rocked her hips over him, sighing in contentment at their bodies finally joining as one again. She slid her arms under his shoulders, hugging herself to his chest as their bodies met over and over. He made her feel amazing. She'd never felt so full, so complete, in all her life. He was hard and thick inside her body, rubbing against all the right spots, making her shiver from head to toe. She kissed him deeply, wanting even more of a connection, tasting herself on his tongue before he hit a particularly sensitive spot deep within her and she threw her head back, hissing through her teeth in pleasure.

Dende gasped out loud as her body clenched tightly around him, tighter than before, "Rose, oh my dearest heart." His hands moved to her hips, pulling her down against him not letting her move as he thrust into her. His lips sought after her neck and he latched his mouth to the junction between her neck and her shoulders, sucking a hickey to life.

Rose moaned out at the feeling of being restrained, Dende thrusting so deeply into her body it made her ache in the most exquisite way. His mouth was hot on her neck, pulling at her flesh and she whimpered against him. "My love... more... please... I cannot get enough of you..." She tried to rock her hips against him, but his strong hands held her firmly in place. "Dende!" she cried, her voice getting higher, a slight desperation in it. "I'm so close... right there, baby, yessss!" Rose gasped and cried out, feeling her climax building, her whole body starting to go rigid and she clenched down on Dende's rock hard shaft as hard as she could.

Dende loved the way his name fell from her lips, the way she squeezed at his cock at tightly at she could with her body, "Rose!" He cried out as fireworks went off before his eyes as his body exploded into hers. He finally allowed her hips to move and he frantically slammed into her body over and over again, filling her up with his burning hot seed, "Come for me my heart, my beloved!"

Rose screamed as she felt his hot liquid flooding her body. The next moment, her vision went white, her every nerve on fire with pleasure. "DENDE!" she screamed out, clutching at him, her body shaking from the waves of ecstasy that slammed into her. She finally collapsed against his chest, sweating and panting, trying to catch her breath. "You... are beyond... amazing..."

Dende turned his head and pressed a kiss to her cheek. He was breathless, his heart still pounding, he loved her. Their bodies were covered with a thin sheen of sweat, making the air smell sweet. He looked down at her, cupping her cheek and brushing a wild strand of hair behind her ear, "Amazing as always, my heart, my soul." He let his hand fall to her back, rubbing it in a soothing way, "Rose, what are we? Gods... I need you... I need to be around you. I feel as if the world would break just from not being this close to you."

Rose sighed in comfort at the feel of his hand on her back, his body still joined intimately with hers. She laid her face against his chest, listening to the sound of his heart. "I don't know what we are," she answered thoughtfully. "I'm so confused, Dende. I know that we've only known each other for a short time, but it feels as if I have known you forever, like I've been missing you, searching for only you. I've always questioned myself. Wondering why I never took an interest in anyone. Ever. And now... now I know. It's because I was waiting for you. I could never love another the way I love you. My dearest love, you are the only one I could ever be with." She swallowed, nuzzling into his chest a bit more. "I need to be with you, too." She moved her head to rest her chin on his chest, staring into his eyes. "I would do anything for you."

"That goes the same for you, dear heart. I am content to just lay here with you in my arms," he sighed, tension leaving his body, his antenna twitching lazily in the air, "I... I would ask to mate with you. To mark you as my own, but I feel as if that might be redundant."

Rose smiled at him, her eyes dancing. "If you wish to rest, we can just lay here together. But, if you wish to mark me, I would be more than proud to carry your mark, my love. I am proud to belong to you." She kissed his lips softly. "Though I do not know how it works. It is because you are a Namek this time?"

He smiled at her and shrugged, kissing her back, his eyes prickled with unshed tears and he looked away from her for a moment, "Thank the gods for you Rose, being Guardian is so lonely. No one else there to understand. No one to fall into bed with, constantly burdened, blessed with hearing the world scream and being helpless to do anything about it. Gods, it's crushing" He thumbed her cheek, "I would be more than honored to wear your mark as well."

"I know it is hard for you," she whispered, hugging him tightly. "But I'm here now, love. I'm here." Rose pressed her hips against his, feeling him harden within her again. "I will always be here for you. I'm not going away again." She reached up and captured his lips with hers as she began to ride him again. She slid a leg behind his knee, hugging his shoulders with her arms, and rolled to move him over her. "Make love to me again," she said softly and gave a long, soft moan as he began to move within her. "I'm sorry, Dende. I can't help myself. I want you so much. I need you, my love."

Dende gasped in delighted surprise and he leaned down, claiming her lips as he pushed back into her, groaning at her tightness and the change of position, "Rose, I am yours. Whatever you demand of me I will do to the best of my ability. We will not be alone any more. Thank the Goddess I found you again" he leaned down and kissed her neck, feeling her pulse pounding beneath his lips.

Rose cupped the back of his head, bucking her hips up to meet his over and over again. Never again. Neither of them would ever again feel the sting of loneliness, the overwhelming silence of endless nights spent utterly alone with nothing but the weight of the world pressing down on them. The very thought was enough to make tears of happiness pour down her cheeks. She met his hips again, his hard cock stretching her body, making her whimper. Gods, she wanted more. She clutched at his back, dragging her nails across it, crying out his name again. She jumped when she felt the light scrape of his fangs against her flesh, as if he was testing her. Deciding where to mark her. She shivered in anticipation again. She didn't care how much it may hurt, she wanted it. She wanted the whole universe to see that she was his. To defy the Gods. To show the Gods that they had found each other again, despite the efforts made to keep them apart. "You're incredible, my love," she gasped as he thrust into her. "Your body is perfection to me."

Dende shuddered at her. Her nails on his back was perfect, the way her body held him, her arms around him. He could feel his orgasm on the brink as well as his longing to sink his teeth into her flesh and drink her soul. His soul, their soul, "Come with me Rose" he thrust into her feeling himself swelling in her, "Please Rose! Bite me as well. Claim me!"

Rose nodded, her body tensing once more. She kissed furiously at the side of his neck, exactly where she intended to mark him. She opened her mouth, her teeth resting on his flesh. He was driving so forcefully into her at a furious pace... She was so close... so close...

Rose gasped and sat up straight, not knowing where she was at first. She looked down at herself, fully clothed. She was on the couch in her living room, not on the floor. Dende wasn't lying over her, pressing his teeth against her neck, their bodies meeting. Rose was shaking, not knowing what to think. A dream? Had it really been just a dream? There was a disappointment settling into her. She didn't understand any of this...

Dende moaned as he felt himself coming, his hard cock pulsing inside... inside... his eyes shot open and he was panting hard as he came inside his pants. Horrified he jerked his gaze over at Rose and sat up quickly, his blush spreading quickly over his cheeks. Stupid stupid stupid! Falling asleep on her couch and having a wet dream about her when she was sitting right next to him! "Oh gods," he buried his face in his hands, "I am so sorry."

Rose jumped at the sound of his voice. She'd nearly forgotten he was still beside her on the couch. She turned to look at him, staring into his eyes, searching them to see if he was okay. "Dende, are you all right?" she asked. She looked him over and her eyes went wide at the way his pants tented. "Oh! OH!" she jumped up and turned away from him, her already blushing face turning an even darker shade of red. Oh gods, had he been having a similar dream?

Dende stood up as soon as he was able, his pants uncomfortably sticky, wet and tight, "My deepest apologies Miss Rose, I did not mean to fall asleep and I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I am so very sorry." He felt horrible and not just because of the wet dream. Something had been ripped away from him and he felt the weight of the world again. The loneliness. The sorrow. Tears gathered in his eyes and he turned away from her, heading towards the door, "It... was a good evening. I'm sorry I ruined it. I will go now. I am sorry."

Rose turned towards him, unsure of what to say. She didn't know if she should tell him that she had just had a similar dream. That would be too weird, wouldn't it? And she certainly couldn't say it was about him. What if his dream had been about someone else? She hated for him to have to fly all the way home like that. "I... you... Do you want to, uh, get cleaned up before you go? I can wash those for you," she offered. She was nervous and disappointed and flustered and strangely still horny in the middle of all this. She didn't want to see him go. "You can use my shower if you need to," she trailed off, wondering if she was making it worse for him. Thank god for being a girl. At least it wasn't apparent to him that she was just as aroused as he was. At least, she hoped he didn't know that.

He stopped, his hand rested on the door knob as he heard the softness in her voice, the disappointment there. His face was still hot, but he turned and looked at her, "You..." He coughed, "You don't mind?" He blushed further, "Ah, If I could, I could put my clothes in your wash and a shower would...help." He ran a hand over his head, "Ah... well... I suppose nothing else I do could have been more embarrassing... so... I suppose it can only go up from here..." He winced, "Sorry, bad joke."

She gave a nervous giggle. "It's okay," she said softly. "Come here." She walked past him, not looking at him for fear of embarrassing him farther, and went to a large closet off of the kitchen. She opened the doors, revealing the washer and dryer with the bottle of laundry detergent perched on a shelf. "There's fresh towels in the bathroom closet," she said, staring hard down at the floor. "I'll just, ah, go hide in my bedroom until you're in the shower."

He chuckled as he felt his embarrassment start to ebb away, "Thank you, Rose...truly." He smiled as he watched her go and didn't do anything until he heard her bedroom door click shut. He shook his head and peeled off his clothes, looking at disgust at the soiled garments before throwing them into the washer and started it up. He quickly walked back to her bathroom and shut the door behind him, leaning against it momentarily, eyeing his semi hard length with disdain, "Really?" He shook his head and went over to the shower, fiddling with a few knobs before he managed to get a cold shower running, and stepped in shivering under the cold water, his erection finally flagging. He let his head _thunk_ against the shower wall.

* * *

Rose sat on the edge of her bed, her mind working furiously. She knew it was only a dream, but she couldn't stop thinking about him. The amazing way he touched her. Making passionate love to him right there in the middle of her living room. Rose shivered and hugged her arms around her middle. A dream. It was just a dream. And in that moment, she wished with all of her heart that it hadn't been. She'd felt so safe. So complete. It was a feeling she'd never experienced before. She hadn't realized how utterly alone she felt until just now. She brushed the angry tears from her eyes and tried to hold onto the dream, but the details were starting to slip away. And obviously Dende had had a similar dream. Did that mean something? Both of them having that type of a dream at the same time? She shook her head, not knowing what to think about anything anymore. Still, she couldn't help but wonder if he'd dreamt about her, too.

Rose finally crept out of her bedroom and went to the laundry closet. The washer had stopped and she pulled Dende's clothes out and stuffed them in the dryer with a couple dryer sheets. She sighed, running a shaky hand through her hair. This was incredibly awkward. She hated the sadness in his voice when he'd apologized to her. She wasn't upset with him. Really, who can control what they dream about? Maybe she should say that to him, see if she could ease his mind. Yes, it was embarrassing, but it wasn't his fault. She set about making coffee. She could do THAT at least. Coffee. Water. Press button. She leaned against the counter and waited for the laundry to dry, trying to think of what she should say to Dende when he finally came out of that bathroom.

Dende wrapped a towel around himself, drying off after his shower. At least he was clean and feeling much more in control of himself. He could smell fresh coffee brewing. He wondered what he would say to Rose, at least she didn't kick him out or look totally disgusted with him. He came out of the bathroom, the towel secured around his waist. He certainly didn't need any more embarrassments tonight. He headed over to the closet and spied Rose in the kitchen, busying herself with coffee and he said a small prayer to the gods as he went to the dryer. He pulled out his clothes that smelled like lavender and were warm to the touch. He sighed happily and quickly dropped his towel and tugged on his pants, tying the sash around his waist, redressing himself quickly, "Thank you, Miss Rose. For putting these in the dryer." He called out.

Rose jumped and slammed her hand on the counter. "Good god, you scared me," she gasped, turning to see him pulling his tunic back on. She drew a deep breath, calming her nerves. She'd been so lost in thought that she hadn't even heard him come out of the bathroom. "Would you like some coffee?" she asked, pulling two large cups from the cabinet, still not quite meeting his eyes. Her face burned red again as she remembered the warmth of his chest as she'd laid against it. NO. She shouldn't be thinking about that now. And it hadn't really happened.

Dende smiled at her, blushing, but he walked over nodding, "I would, thank you." He rubbed his head, "So ah...about that. And thank you for letting me use your shower and wash." He chuckled, "See what happens when you make friends? Aren't you glad now?" He laughed, deep and rich.

Rose turned to him, handing him a cup of coffee. "And I thought my jokes were bad." She gave him a shy smile, trying not to laugh, but she couldn't help it. "Well, this was certainly an interesting evening." She took a long drink of coffee, the hot liquid calming her. "Dende, really, you don't have to be sorry. You can't control what you dream about. Besides, everyone has dreams like that!" Oops. She blushed at the admission, hoping he hadn't caught that.

Dende laughed, catching her blush and smirking into his coffee mug, "Speaking from experience are we? I have to say, I have you beat on that one though. Pardon me for being crude, but I would have to think that men's wet dreams are far more, ahem, obvious than woman's." He winked at her, and blushed, "Anyway!"

"YES. Yes, change the subject," she said nervously. He certainly seemed bolder at the moment. Well, after something like that, you couldn't get much more embarrassed than you already were, she supposed. "So, yeah," she rambled, not sure what to say. She glanced at the clock; it was nearly three in the morning. "Wow, I didn't realize it was that late. Thank god I don't have to go to work in the morning." She paused, looking at him, "I guess you have to, though, don't you? You don't really get a day off."

Dende chuckled, "Sadly not..." He looked distant, "The world keeps on turning no matter where I am or what I am doing. The best I can offer it is my ears and my sight from dawn until dusk. I can even hear her in my sleep. Its rare that I get a good night's rest." He looked down into his cup, "To hear the world crying out as a child looking for its mother." He looked up at her, "Sorry, I don't mean to burden you. I imagine it must be like your cases. Working over them all day and when you close your eyes, you still see them even in your dreams."

Rose pressed her lips together and nodded. She looked at him with understanding in her eyes, speaking softly, "I know how that feels. I'm sorry, Dende." She looked down at the coffee in her hands, "I bet you wished you'd stayed on your home planet now, huh? It sounds so much more peaceful there. You wouldn't have to deal with all of this." The thought of him being that far away suddenly made her feel like crying. She didn't, but her heart was aching at the thought of being separated from him like that.

Dende shook his head, "No," he said quickly, "I'm glad I came here." He smiled at her, "I was different than others on my home planet. I wanted to heal, make a difference. On a planet full of healers like me, full of peace. There wasn't much of a chance to help those truly in need. Here, I have friends, family and an entire planet to help. It's hard at some times, but I wouldn't want it any other way." He smiled at her, "I think the same is true of you, am I right?"

She nodded. "True," she answered. "Sometimes it'd be nice to live in a world without evil, though." She gave a laugh, "We should vacation to your home planet sometime." She shook her head, "Oh gods, there I go again. Inviting myself places." She snickered and added, "I should really stop doing that."

Dende chuckled, "I think you would like Planet Namek. We will have to go some time."

She finished off her coffee and set the cup on the counter. "So do you have to go home or would you like to sleep here? It's awfully late. I hate to think of you making that long journey if you're tired."

He looked at the clock and winced, looking sheepish, "If you don't mind, I would love to sleep on the couch. Thank you. Wouldn't do the world any good if the Guardian fell asleep while flying home. Try explaining that one." He chuckled, "Thank you Miss Rose. Tonight, all things considered, was fun. We will have to have dinner and a movie again soon."

"I'd like that," she said softly. "I'll get you a blanket and a pillow." She headed to her room and grabbed one of the pillows from her bed and a couple spare blankets from the closet. Her heart was hammering again - Dende was spending the night. Even though he was sleeping on the couch, the thought excited her for some reason. She returned to the living room and spread the blankets out on the couch. "There we go," she said, standing up straight and putting her hands on her hips. "No crash landings due to the Guardian falling asleep in midair tonight."

Dende laughed. "You've single-handedly saved the world," he cheered. He smiled at her and bowed at the waist, "Thank you, Miss Rose. Have a goodnight."

She giggled and bowed slightly back. "Goodnight, Dende," she said and headed for her bedroom, closing the door behind her.


	22. Planning a Trip

Rose waited patiently outside her apartment, flipping through some of her papers, jotting notes here and there. She hoped the visit would go well. She didn't know why, but somehow, deep down, she knew that Goku wasn't the one who hurt his son, despite everything Chichi had accused him of. There was something not right about that woman. Something off. Rose looked up and down the sidewalk, expecting to see Goku walking towards her at any moment, but there was still no sign of him. "Don't be late," she muttered quietly to herself as she looked back at her papers, sitting on the steps to her apartment. A shadow suddenly fell across her work and she jumped, looking up to see Goku standing there. "You're just not going to stop startling me, are you?" she asked, a slight laugh in her voice.

Goku smiled at her. He was so excited to finally get to go see his son. Sabriena had insisted he wear a suit with a tie; she even went through the trouble of buying him a new suit that was leagues more comfortable than the one Chichi had made him wear. And the navy color was more his look. He just wanted to see his son and put his mind at ease. He hadn't seen him since the day they'd sparred in the yard. "Nah! It's good to keep you on your toes!" He couldn't keep the excitement off of his face, "I can't thank you enough for arranging this for me. Really."

Rose smiled at him. "It's not a problem. You look nice today," she said sincerely, getting to her feet and sliding her work into her oversized purse. The suit fit him well and looked extremely expensive. She couldn't help but drink in the vision of him in it. Oh heavens help her, she had to stop looking at him like that.

She unlocked her car and pulled open the door for him before she walked around to the driver's side. "They just live across town, it should only take a few minutes to get there." Rose couldn't help but glance at him every minute or so, he looked so handsome in that suit. She felt her face go a little hot and she rubbed at her nose, nearly knocking her glasses askew. "Oh goodness," she huffed and righted them on her face. A short time later, she pulled into the driveway in front of a large house set in a nice subdivision. "This is it," she said as she stepped out of the car.

Goku got out of the car, looking up at the nice looking house. He could sense Goten's energy inside and he felt his heart skip a few beats. Would Goten be okay? Did he miss him? He wondered how much the marks had healed up. Oh what he would do if he could make those go away.

Rose led the way up the big steps to the front door and rang the doorbell. She lightly touched his forearm for just a second, "You look nervous. You don't have to be. They're nice people." She turned and smiled at the woman who answered the door.

Goten's foster mother was an average-looking woman in her mid-thirties, but she had a kind smile when she greeted Rose.

"This is Mr. Son," Rose introduced Goku.

She shook his hand, "You're all Goten talks about," she said. She turned to Rose, "He's playing in his room upstairs if you want to go see him."

Rose nodded and lead Goku through the house as if she'd been here several times before.

Goten was sitting in the middle of a bedroom, playing with some toys on the floor. He looked up when the door opened, his eyes going wide with excitement. "DADDY!" he cried and ran to Goku.

"GOTEN!" He caught his son as the boy jumped into the air and into his arms, nearly knocking him back a few steps. He laughed, tears coming into his eyes as he held him so tightly, burying his face into that dark hair, "Hey there, kiddo! Wow! Look at you! I missed you so much!" He pulled back a little bit, looking at his son. He was happy that the marks on his face had completely gone away, but he could feel the scars on his son's back, through the shirt. Goten was so tiny, how could Chichi have hurt him so badly? He squeezed Goten tighter, "They feeding you enough, kiddo?"

Goten laughed and hugged his dad's neck, feeling so safe and secure in daddy's strong arms. Nothing bad happened when Daddy was around. He sniffled, not understanding why he felt like crying when he was so happy to see his dad. He scrubbed at his eyes, his face split in a wide smile as his dad pulled back to look at him. "No. I'm always hungry. And their food isn't as good as Sabriena's. But they're really nice! I just... eat more than everyone else..." He threw himself against his dad's neck again, hugging him. "Can I come home with you, Daddy?"

Goku felt his heart break at the question, sparing a look to Rose before he pulled back from Goten, cupping his face in his hands. "Not right now, kiddo. I wish I could take you home. I want to." He sat down on the ground and held Goten in his lap, ruffling his hair as he looked him over. "These people that Rose here works with, they are evaluating, ah, looking over our homes to decide where the best place for you is. Make sure we don't do what, you know, your mother did to you." He closed his eyes, "Goten, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you, that I wasn't there to stop her from hurting you so bad. You've been such a good boy, doing what everyone says. Goten, I have to ask, what do you want?"

"It's okay, Daddy," Goten said, feeling very disappointed that he didn't get to go home with his dad. He wanted to go to the cabin, to sleep outside curled up next to his dad, to hunt with Tien and Dog, to watch Zip practice hunting, to help Sabriena cook over the fireplace. Goten's shoulders slumped, looking down at the floor away from his dad. "I'm not a good boy," he answered in a tiny voice. "Momma always said I was bad. That I'm a monster." His bottom lip trembled and sad tears formed in his eyes. "I tried to be good." He blinked and looked at Goku. "I want to go home with you. I want to live with you and mo- I mean, Sabriena."

Goku shook his head, "No, don't say that. Chichi was just saying that to hurt you. You are a very good boy and don't you dare think otherwise." He lifted his son's chin to look at him, "Okay? Don't go thinking you're a monster, because you aren't. What Chichi did to you; it makes her the monster. All these marks on you only reflect how unhappy she is." He leaned forward kissing his sons head. "Kiddo, the reason I didn't just take you back to the cabin was because if I did that, Chichi would say I kidnapped you, that I was the one who did this to you. You wouldn't be able to go to school, you wouldn't be able to come to the city. You would be trapped. Doing it this way, makes it so that Chichi can't hurt you ever again. She can't take you from me."

"Will Momma get in trouble? I don't want her to get in trouble," he said quietly, casting an eye over at Rose who had settled herself on one of the beds and was writing in a notebook. He leaned in to his Dad a bit. "I don't care about school or the stupid city. I want to go home with you!" He was crying again, burying his face in his dad's shirt. "Was Momma mean to you, too? Is that why you were gone so much? She said... s-she said..." he couldn't bring himself to ask and cried harder into his dad's shirt.

Goku felt his heart twisting and he rocked his son back and forth, leaning his head down, "What did she say Goten? Whatever it was, it wasn't true. She did hurt me, but not as bad as you. I think she wanted to hurt me instead of you. She wanted me home, but wouldn't let me help her around the house. Daddy kept breaking all her glasses by accident, remember? Then she would yell at me to get out, so I'd go train and when I'd come home and she'd already fed you supper. Didn't cook enough for me or just not at all." He kissed his son on his cheek, "What did she say? You won't get in trouble ever again Goten, I promise..."

"She said... you were gone... because you didn't love us," he sobbed, hoping it wasn't true. He loved his daddy more than anything in the world and he couldn't understand why Momma would say something like that. Daddy was always nice to him, let him sleep on the couch with him, played games with him and let him spar and didn't yell or hit or get mad when Goten broke something on accident. He looked up at Goku, tears spilling down his cheeks from his big, dark eyes. "Why would Momma say that? Daddy, I love you! I'll be good, I promise! Why would Momma say you didn't love us?!" He didn't want to believe it, but his mother had said it so many times, had blamed him for it. "She said it was my fault because I'm bad."

Goku felt his heart break at that. What Chichi had said to him brought tears to his eyes, "No no no no no...Goten. Look at me Goten," He lowered his head, their foreheads touching as he looked into those wide innocent eyes, "Its not true. Anything she ever said was a lie. I love you more than life itself Goten. More than anything in this world. You and your brother, I don't know what I would do if I didn't have the two of you. Goten, I love you so much it hurts. It hurts so bad to be away from you. Chichi hates me. She hates me and I dont know why...its my fault she hurt you...not you. NEVER you...You are such a good boy...So good Goten. I Love you Goten. She wanted to hurt me..."

Relief swept over Goten at Goku's words. He hugged his dad tightly again, breathing in deeply, the smell of his dad's shirt comforting and familiar. "I knew it," he breathed. "I knew she was lying. I didn't want to believe her."

Rose bit her lips, looking away from them, fighting tears. As far as she was concerned, it was no longer a matter of figuring out which parent was in the wrong. Now it was just a matter of proving it and convincing a judge that Goten belonged with his father.

"I love you, Daddy," Goten said. "I promise. I love you so much." He wiped his nose on his sleeve and looked up at Goku again. "How much longer do I have to stay here? Will I ever get to go home with you?"

Goku wiped his own tears away, smiling down at him, kissing him on his nose, "Yes. Yes you will. When this whole thing is over, I promise you can come home with me. Whatever it takes, we are going to do this the right way and prove to those people that you are safe with me. Sabriena says you can stay with her and cook all day long if you want. And Tien wants to take you hunting. And Dog and Zip miss you. So much. Maybe soon they'll let you come and spend the day with us at the cabin, that sound good?"

Goten's eyes lit up and he smiled wider. "YEAH! I wanna come spend the day!" He looked over at Rose, a pleading look on his face. "Can I, Miss Rose? Please? Pretty, pretty please?!" he clasped his hands together as if he was praying. "I'll be good! I promise not to fight this time so you won't get upset!"

Rose laughed at him. "We can do that," she answered. "I'll check my work schedule and see when it suits your dad."

Goten beamed at his dad. "Let's go today! Let's go today!"

Goku smiled brightly at his son and looked over at Rose, "Today works great. Any day would work great!" He smiled at his son, cuddling him closer, "Whatever works for you, Rose." He kissed Goten's head, happy and satisfied that his son understood. They would get through this, "I'm sure Sabriena will get you a full meal, all you can eat and you'd never want to eat again!" He grinned, just happy to hold him, happy that Chichi's lies couldn't reach him again, "Promise me Goten...no matter what Chichi tells you in the future...know that I love you with all my heart," He crossed his heart with his finger and held out his pinky to Goten, "I swear it."

Goten grinned and crossed his own heart, wrapping his little finger around his dad's. "You think Sabriena would make me some pasta? I'm starving!"

Rose cringed inside. She had so much work to do that day and another appointment that afternoon. But Goten looked so happy and excited. And Goku, if it was possible, looked even more excited. She shouldn't be doing this. She shouldn't be giving them special treatment, but for some reason she just couldn't help herself. "I really do have a lot of work to do today," she said hesitantly, "And I can't just let you take him without my supervision. Let me make a couple phone calls and see if I can rearrange my schedule today, okay?" She got to her feet as Goten nodded excitedly. She raised her eyebrows at him, "Now, I'm not promising anything. Just wait here for a minute." And she stepped out into the hallway, shutting the door behind her.

Goku smiled brightly at Goten, "Now, if she can't do it today, I'll take you out to get a huge meal and you can come over first thing in the morning!" He kissed his sons cheek, "And you know Sabriena would make anything you want, an entire houseful if you think you can handle it!"

Rose cringed, looking guilty as she reentered the room. "Guys, I'm so sorry, there's no one to cover my appointment this afternoon and I can't cancel it." She was genuinely sorry, wishing she could let them spend the entire day together. She checked her watch. "But we still have about an hour and a half. we don't have to stay in the house. We could get some lunch or something if you want." She met Goku's eyes, "I'm really sorry."

Goku's shoulders slumped a moment before he perked up again, "I know the perfect place we can go for lunch!" He stood and lifted Goten to put him on his shoulders before reaching out and drawing Rose close, "Hold on tight!" He pressed two fingers to his forehead and focused. The next moment found them standing outside in the fresh air, the cabin in front of them, "Hey guys! I brought guests for lunch!" He grinned at Rose, "Hope you don't mind! Now we can plan out when he can come over!"

Rose swayed with a giggle. "Never gonna get used to that."

Sabriena looked up from the wood she was stacking as Tien chopped. "GOTEN!" she squealed, running over, chucking aside the piece of wood she held in her hands. She snatched him off Goku's shoulders and held him close as Tien turned away trying not to curse. The log she'd dropped had landed right on his foot.

Goten was beaming, clinging to Sabriena's neck for all he was worth. She pulled back to look at him. "Daddy said you'd make me some lunch," Goten said. "Can we have pasta? Please?"

Sabriena rubbed her nose against his, staring into his eyes. "Anything you want, buddy," she answered warmly and carried him into the cabin. "And I'll let you help me."

Tien finally straightened up, trying not to show any pain on his face as he turned to Goku. "I didn't know you were going to be bringing him today," he said. "It's good to see him." He couldn't stop his eyes from raking over Goku's suit. By the gods, that man could make a suit look good.

Goku chuckled, "Its only for lunch, but Rose says he can spend a day with us soon! We'll have to make it a full day!" He felt his cheeks heat up as he saw the way Tien was looking at him. He knew that look, he knew it well. He was going to have to thank Sabriena later for picking out such an attractive suit for sure. He turned and smiled at Rose, "Maybe if you can make it a two day thing! Then we can have a sleepover and a camp out! You can even use the hot tub! Its really awesome at night when it gets chilly!"

"Camp out?" Rose asked, blinking at him. "I... I've never been camping before." A smile started to pull at her lips. "That sounds fun. I wonder how I could pull that off with work. I'll figure something out."

"Sounds like a plan," Tien said. "Aren't you supposed to be keeping an eye on Goten?"

"Oh! Yes!" Rose gasped and hurried into the kitchen.

Tien made sure the door was firmly closed behind her before he quickly closed the gap between himself and Goku. "C'mere," he growled, grabbing Goku by the tie and pulling him into a heated kiss.

Goku couldn't resist, something was so hot about the way Tien couldn't keep his hands off of him, pulling him in by the tie. Goku shuddered before he surrendered to the other man, sighing happily into Tien's lips as they kissed. He was starting to like this suit more and more. He felt himself grow hard at his husbands ministrations and he wrapped his arms around Tien firmly, "Careful," He said, "Sabriena won't be happy if she sees you dipping into the cookie jar." He grinned at Tien.

Tien grinned and nibbled at Goku's ear. "That's okay. I'll share with her," he breathed hotly against his husband's ear. He pressed his body firmly against Goku's, feeling the hardness pressing back against him. He chuckled low in his throat and stepped back. "We'd better stop. Your boy's here. And that caseworker." He leaned back heavily on one leg, his gaze sweeping over Goku once more. "Gotta hand it to the wife. She does have excellent taste. The suit looks good, too," he winked.

Goku pinned Tien with a searing gaze, his mind fully thrown into the gutter as he thought about fucking Tien while wearing his suit. "Later then," he winked at his husband before he turned and headed into the house, but not before swatting Tien on the ass as he turned back to finish chopping wood.

Rose was sitting at the table, watching as Sabriena and Goten busied themselves with preparing the homemade pasta.

Sabriena smiled at Goku as he walked in. "Lovin' that suit," she snickered and looked back down at the dough she and Goten were mixing. She grabbed the pasta machine and attached it to the side of the table. "You know, your daddy bought this for me for my birthday about a year ago," she said to Goten.

His eyes lit up and he looked up at his dad. "Good job, Dad! Now we can have all the pasta we want!"

Goku tilted his head back and laughed, sitting down at the table and loosening his tie, he suddenly wanted to have Sabriena the same way he had just thought about Tien. He shrugged off the jacket and draped it over the back of the chair before he leaned forward, one elbow on the table, propping his head up, "Yup! I even told her she had to make me as much pasta as I could stand!" He laughed, watching the way Goten was helping her, asking questions, learning and then doing it on his own. The way he held the food, it was with such care and respect. He could see the admiration in Sabriena's eyes. Gods he loved her.

Rose was almost more interested in the way they made the food than the way they were interacting. It amazed her that Sabriena knew how to do these things, that anyone could make food like that. Her range of cooking involved microwave meals or take-out. She watched as Sabriena taught Goten how to mix and season the sauce for the noodles, and laughed with him as Sabriena jokingly dabbed a bit on his nose. This was all so new to her, every part of it, and she found herself wanting more, to be part of this in some small way. She suddenly looked at Goku, "So when are we going camping?" She felt her stomach twist as she finally realized he had removed his suit jacket. The silky shirt clung to his muscles in a way that was absolutely sinful. She blinked her eyes a couple times and tore her gaze away from him.

Goku chuckled, smiling at her, "Hah! I knew it! No one can resist camping! Except Vegeta," He pouted, "But he's no fun anyway," He joked and tilted his head, "Well, any day is good for us, just let us know how your schedule works out. Maybe a friday and saturday deal?" He turned, and inhaled the wonderful smell of all that fresh pasta they were making. They already had an enormous pile of it setting in a bowl, ready to be cooked in boiling water.

Sabriena cocked an eyebrow but said nothing. She couldn't imagine Rose camping out, but if the city-slicker wanted to give it a go, she wasn't going to stop her. She wondered vaguely if it would hurt Goku's case if Sabriena scared Rose with ghost stories around the campfire.

"I think I could do it this weekend," Rose said. "I don't have anything going on. I'm sure I can come up with some reason to get Goten overnight." She hoped it wouldn't raise too many eyebrows at the office. She suddenly thought of the others she'd met over the weeks she'd known them. "Will anyone else be here? Is Dende coming?" she asked a little too eagerly.

Goku chuckled, "Yeah! Sure! I think I can ask him! The more the merrier!" He had to stop himself, thinking about asking Paige and Alice over if they wanted to play with Goten while they had a chance, but he didn't want to push his luck with Sabriena. He was already more than happy that she was taking care of Goten so carefully. It warmed his heart.

"Planning a party, are we?" She asked as she served their lunch. She stuck her head out the door and hollered for Tien, who appeared a moment later and sat heavily in his chair.

"Bout time, woman. I'm starving."

She whapped him with her spoon. "You call me 'woman' again and I'm gonna start calling you 'Vegeta'," she snapped.

Tien pulled a face as though he'd bitten into something very sour. "Fair enough."

Goten was already eating as though he'd been starved for a week. Sabriena shook her head at him and ruffled his hair.

Rose couldn't believe how much he was eating, how fast. "I'll, uh, say something to his foster mom," she said. "I'll see if we can't get him a little more to eat at meals."

Goku watched his kid eat for a moment, a bit concerned at the rate he was eating. He nodded and looked at Rose, "Sorry about that, Saiyan metabolism. It eats us alive if we don't have large meals three times a day." He smiled at his kid, laughing at the sauce that stuck to his cheeks, his nose, "Sabriena makes the best pasta, doesn't she Goten," He chuckled and dug into his own pasta, so delicious his jaw ached as he slurped down a noodle, "Sooo good."

Rose knew why Goten had been begging to come to the cabin now. She herself would beg to come there if she could eat like this every meal. They enjoyed their meal, laughing with Goten as he asked for more and more servings. But lunch was over far too soon and Rose regretted it when she had to announce that it was time to take Goten home so she could get to her next appointment.

Sabriena hugged Goten tightly, snuggling into his hair, telling him they'd see him again soon.

Tien didn't know what had gotten into him, but he was feeling ornery as he stepped up behind Goku on the premise of straightening the Saiyan's tie. He pulled it just slightly too tight around Goku's neck and purred in his ear, "Get back here quick. And don't dare take that suit off when you get home."


	23. The Suit

Goku popped back outside of the cabin after he dropped Goten and Rose back off at the foster's parents place. He felt much better about everything, talking to his son one-on-one like that, making sure he understood what was going on. Soon, hopefully soon, they could all be a family again. A better family. And he would finally be able to forget all about that horrible woman who would dare touch a child, his child, and lie to him. Never again. He sighed and went to undo the tie at his neck when he remembered Tien pressing up against him, telling him to leave the suit on. He felt himself harden at that. He smirked and went up to the door and pushed it open, casually calling out, "I'm back!"

Sabriena and Tien paused, and looked over at him, both of them smiling. "Well there's my sexy Saiyan," Sabriena grinned, going over to him. She grabbed the lapels of his suit and yanked him down to her and covered his mouth with a searing kiss, sliding her tongue against his, moaning obscenely.

Tien caught Goku's eye as their wife kissed him and he crossed his arms, an amused smile playing across his lips. "We've been arguing about who gets to have you first. She thinks she won the argument."

Goku grinned against Sabriena's lips and let his arms circle around her, holding her close. He threaded his fingers into her silky gold hair and swept her off of her feet, bending her over and ravishing her in front of their husband. "Hmmm, sounds like a pretty solid argument to me..." He grinned at Tien and winked at him as he set Sabriena back on her feet.

"Oh really?" Tien asked, letting his arms drop to his sides as he strode forward with authority. "I beg to differ." He grabbed the back of Goku's neck and pulled him in for a kiss that was firmer and more aggressive than Sabriena's. Feeling playful and competitive, Tien mimicked his husband as he bent Goku backwards, one hand still grabbing the back of his neck, the other sliding around his waist.

Goku couldn't take much more of this, his pants were growing tighter and tighter the more Tien kissed him, knowing Sabriena was watching them with envy. Gods, this was hot. He bunched his hands in Tien's shirt before he pulled back, smiling, looking over at Sabriena and licking his lips, "You guys better figure out who's going first. I don't think I'm gonna last much longer."

Tien raised an eyebrow. "Last much longer? We haven't even gotten started," he protested.

Sabriena stepped forward again, swinging her hips. "Well then let me finish him off and you get the next go round," she said, flashing a smile.

"Oh, alright," Tien huffed and moved back to sit on the corner of the table.

Sabriena reached for Goku's zipper, sliding it down and pulling his hard length from inside his pants. "Mmmmmm," she hummed as she dropped to her knees before him, wrapping one hand around his shaft as her lips closed over the head, but it was Tien who hissed, gripping the edge of the table, his mouth watering as he watched.

Goku shuddered, threading his hands through Sabriena's hair, guiding her mouth over his hot length. It was so weird still wearing this sophisticated suit, "Sabriena… I was having different ideas, but you are so good at that." He thrust into her mouth carefully, moaning loudly as he caught Tien's eyes.

Sabriena swirled her tongue around him for a moment before she swallowed him down to the hilt.

Tien smirked as he locked eyes with Goku. He had his own ideas, too, but he couldn't help wondering what Goku's mind had cooked up. He ran his hand over the front of his pants, moaning lightly as he caressed the firm flesh. "Tell us what you had in mind, Goku," he said throatily.

Goku shuddered; watching Tien touch himself was hot. He groaned and with great effort he pulled back from Sabriena, his engorged length falling from her lips heavily. He picked her up effortlessly and moved her over to the kitchen table. He pushed her skirt up, yanking down her underwear to suddenly thrust inside of her. He keened as her slick heat surrounded him. Being still fully clothed except for his cock, now sheathed inside her velvet hot heat, was so erotic. "I want to fuck you both just like this." He pulled back and pushed inside of her at an agonizingly slow pace.

Sabriena shivered deliciously as Goku filled her over and over, each thrust slow, deliberate. There was something seductive about the feel of his warm muscles in her hands, still covered by the sleek, expensive fabric of his suit. The only skin to skin contact was where their bodies were joined together. She grabbed his tie with both hands, gently pulling him into a kiss.

Tien couldn't help but smirk. She was certainly being much easier on that tie than he'd been thinking about. She rocked her hips to meet him, panting in his ear, her core aching already as he filled her body.

"Sooooo good," she cried in a strained voice.

Goku groaned as their lips met, sliding his tongue into that hot cavern of her mouth. He pulled back, thrusting back into her, tilting his head at Tien, smirking, "What did you have in mind?" He blatantly looked him up and down, taking extra time to rake his eyes over the prominent bulge in his pants, "Did you want to bend me over this table, and fuck me as hard as you could?" He pushed into Sabriena harder and harder, "Pull down the pants just enough and fill me with that wonderful cock?"

Tien's eyes went wide and he blinked at Goku. His look of shock was replaced by a dominating smirk as he moved to stand behind Goku, pressing up against his body. He loosed Goku's belt and yanked roughly at the pants. "That is EXACTLY what I had in mind," he breathed in Goku's ear. He pulled the pants down just below Goku's bum and ran his strong, rough hands over the smooth, warm flesh. Tien groaned and rubbed himself against the crease between Goku's buttocks; he pushed Goku forward so that he was lying chest to chest over Sabriena before finding the knot of the tie at Goku's throat and sliding it around to the back of his neck, pulling it just a bit. He pulled down the front of his pants, letting his hard length finally spring free. He groaned as he slipped into Goku's tight body, one hand on Goku's hip, the other holding the length of the tie, restricting Goku's breathing ever so slightly.

Goku gasped, his cock hardening ever further; he didn't think it was possible. His length leaked a good measure of precum deeply into Sabriena's body as Tien's cock worked its way into his body. It was so big, splitting him in half. "Gods that's hot," he gasped. He leaned his head down to kiss at Sabriena's pert nipples through her shirt, groaning as he was filled to the brim.

Sabriena let out a squeak of a gasp, feeling Goku's hot breath through her shirt, his lips pressing against her nipples. He made her so wet as he thrust into her. Her eyes rolled at the feeling of his thick length pressing into her, deeper and deeper, hitting her cervix, making her moan wantonly. "Holy shit, Goku," she cried. He smelled incredible as she nuzzled against the mark on his neck, licking at it.

Tien rolled his wrist, wrapping the silk tie around his fist, giving him better control. He pulled on it with every thrust, a calm dominance filling his chest as he slid in and out of Goku's ass. He looked down, watching himself as his throbbing cock was swallowed again and again by the Saiyan's flesh. He pulled back on the tie even harder, leaning over for a moment, "You're sooooo good at this," his voice rumbled in Goku's ear.

Goku's neck was pulled back, exposed to Sabriena as Tien yanked on his tie. He couldn't stop the moan that escaped his throat, feeling Tien's girth filling him over and over, feeling his own body stretching so wide over him. He shuddered, trying to speed up, but his eyes widened as he suddenly realized Tien controlled everything with his hand around his neck, so to speak, "Tien...please..please I want to come!" He tried to move, thrusting shallowly into Sabriena and pushing himself back onto Tien's cock, wondering how he ended up in the middle of them if he was supposed to be controlling this little game.

"Oh you do, huh?" Tien asked, his cock swelling at the sound of Goku's pleas. He pounded himself harshly into Goku for a moment, grunting with each thrust as he felt himself getting closer to that edge. Without a word, he slackened his grip on the tie as he increased his pace, his orgasm so tantalizingly close. He leaned over Goku's back, driving his cock faster into him, feeling it swell to the brink before he shot hot rivers of cum deep into the tight heat wrapped around him.

"So close," Sabriena gasped, clenching down on Goku, gritting her teeth as the waves of orgasm started to wash over her, making her tense as she screamed out her pleasure.

Goku screamed out as he felt Tien come deep in him, the hot essence almost burning him, but seeping deeply into his muscle, his soul. Sabriena's soft heat like a vice around his own cock as she came, he buried his face into her chest and screamed louder as he came, bucking helplessly against her and back against Tien, "Yessssssssss!" His eyes rolled back as he spilled deeply inside of Sabriena. This suit, best idea ever

Goku whimpered as Tien pulled away, he could feel the hot cum trying to drip out of him as the large cock was pulled from his body. He swallowed harshly as he pulled back from Sabriena, unable to resist twisting a still pert nipple poking up from her shirt. He still felt himself hard, growing harder at the reality that they had just done that still relatively dressed. He let his hands drift upward, straightening and tightening his tie as he looked at them both, letting an evil smirk cross his face as he turned and studied Tien, "Mmmm. What to do with you?"

Tien was breathing heavily, having just spent himself in his husband's body. The wicked smirk on Goku's face sent a chill up his spine. "What- Whatever you want..." he gasped.

Sabriena sat up, watching her husbands with rapt interest, licking her lips. There was something incredibly sexy about the way Goku had taken on such a calm, confident demeanor, straightening his tie. Gods, what was it about that damn tie that was so appealing? She wondered if Goku would involve her or if she would get to sit back and watch what would no doubt be an incredibly erotic display.

Tien tipped his head to the side, popping his neck. The look Goku gave him made him go weak in the knees as he wondered what Goku was planning next.

Goku grinned, walking over to Tien and grabbing the back of his neck, pulling him against him, biting and nipping at his lips before pulling back and going to Sabriena and pulling her into his arms, looking over at Tien, "Think we should make him strip for us before I fuck him senseless?" He nuzzled his nose into her hair, looking over at Tien coyly, "Take off your pants," He demanded.

Sabriena gave a slight giggle, biting her lower lip, her eyes dancing at Tien as she wrapped her arms around Goku's waist.

Tien swallowed, a hot blush burning across his nose and cheeks. He had never been shy about his nakedness in front of them before, but now, for some reason, it gave him butterflies and made his hands shake as he undid the belt around his waist. Kicking aside his boots, he peeled off his green pants and draped them over the back of a chair.

Sabriena raked her eyes over his form, a shiver working through her body as she imagined Tien's cock growing hard once again as Goku fucked him. She gave a shudder and looked up at Goku, the excitement glowing in her eyes. "You're gonna let me watch, right?" she asked.

Goku chuckled and kissed her, "Of course." He kissed at the mark on her neck, sucking hard before he pulled back and made a show of walking around Tien as if he were inspecting something he wanted to buy. He ran his hand over a leg, an arm, the firm round buttocks, pulling apart the strong globes so he could step closer and nuzzle at the hot, hidden flesh. He sat back on his haunches, reaching between Tien's legs and cupping his heavy balls, rolling them in his hand. "Mmm Sabriena wants to watch you get fucked by me," he said, feeling his own dominant nature coming out. Gods he wanted to bend his husband over and fuck him senseless. He grinned as an idea came to him, "Sabriena, strip down, too, and get back on the table."

Tien's cock was growing hard again as Goku surveyed him, running his hands over him. He hissed as Goku's hand touched the sensitive flesh between his legs. He had to bite his lip and squeeze his eyes shut, trying not to whimper with longing. Gods, the feelings this man could incite in him from a simple glance or a dominant word.

Sabriena nearly ripped her clothes as she eagerly yanked them off. She tossed them carelessly towards the laundry basket and missed, climbing to sit on the table, facing her husbands. She licked her lips again, resting her elbows on crossed knees, leaning towards her men with an excited expression on her face.

Goku grinned, feeling empowered by being the only one dressed in the room, save for his rapidly hardening cock. He stood and moved Tien to stand in front of her, putting his hands on either side of her, his cock heavy between his legs. The Saiyan grinned and stood back, taking his cock in hand and rubbing it between Tien's cheeks, teasing the entrance. "I'm going to make you come all over her," he said before he pushed in, growing harder as he watched Tien's body separate and accept him. He groaned as he was enveloped by that tight heat, taking a moment to wrap a hand around Tien's neck and the other around his cock, able to control where the come would go. He rubbed at the tip of the broad cock, smearing around the precum already gathering.

Tien's back went rigid for a moment, Goku's words ringing in his ears, his voice so in control. A moan worked its way out of his throat as Goku speared him so deeply, spreading his body open. A wonderful ache settled into his muscles as he tried to buck into his mate's hand. Goku's hand held him so firmly, teasing the slit at the tip, making Tien see stars already. Gods, that was so sensitive. More cum beaded there and trickled down his length. He finally opened his eyes to look at Sabriena. She was still sitting cross-legged before him, but now she had reclined slightly, her arms propping her up from behind. Her eyes were locked on Tien's cock as Goku stroked it. She looked so gorgeous, her curves warm and inviting. He tried to lower his face to her breast, but Goku's hand around his neck prevented him, making him moan again in longing.

Goku tsked him and set a brutal pace, slamming into his body over and over, lamenting when he had to pull out his cock completely and slammed home, rocking his hips against him, thrusting into him without pulling back. He locked his eyes with Sabriena over Tien's shoulder, loving the way she was reclined. He rubbed at Tien's neck. "Touch yourself," he said softly, his eyes dancing a moment before he groaned and let go of Tien's neck, reaching down and grabbing a leg, hoisting it up off the ground and started really fucking him.

Tien cried out as Goku pounded into his body, his cock impossibly hard, driving home with bone-shattering force. He was going nuts, staring down at their beautiful wife who looked like she could get off by just watching them, the smell of her arousal heavy on the air. Tien shivered and wrapped a hand around his cock. It was heavy and hot in his hand, slicked with his own cum. He gripped himself tightly, pulling his fist over his thick length, moaning out at his own touch. Goku was relentless as he drove himself in even harder, the new position allowing him to get deeper than ever before.

Goku could feel his release building, he groaned and panted, leaning down to nip at the flesh on Tien's back, kissing at the angry red marks left behind. It was like a dance and the position was amazing. He peeked over Tien's shoulder, watching Sabriena's reaction. They were definitely going to have to look into some different positions to try during sex. He just couldn't get enough of his mates. He was addicted to them both. He leaned down, kissing at the mark on Tien's neck and grinned as he let his hand join Tien's, "Come with me" He demanded, panted, "Come for her," He whispered, feeling his own cock swell and explode into Tien's body, filling him as he had been filled not long ago. He angled Tien's cock, sure that it would cover their wife.

Tien shivered violently at Goku's command as the Saiyan wrapped his hand over Tien's cock as well. He quickened his strokes, feeling his cock stiffen and swell in his hand. "Goku... I'm close," he panted, feeling Goku explode inside his body, that hot cock rubbing against his prostate, the burning liquid pouring into him. He gave in, the orgasm washing over him as Goku's length speared his ass, their hands stroking him harshly. He came with a cry that was somewhere between a scream and a growl, the thick ropes of cum splattering all over Sabriena. Her stomach, her breasts, her neck.

She gasped out, her body trembling as Tien's hot essences coated her. She felt like she could come again just by watching them. Gods, that was such a delicious vision before her. She trailed her fingers up the valley between her breasts and lifted her hand to her mouth to suck Tien's cum from her fingertips. "Mmmmm," she purred as her cheeks hollowed. "Delicious."

* * *

**A Note from the Authors:** *runs away and hides* Yes, the last chapter was a dream. I KNEW you guys were going to hate us for it! Aheeeee! In all honesty, it was my (LadyRavenhawk) fault. I was so desperate for Dende and Rose to get together, but JC 87 reminded me that it would ruin the plot of the whole damn story, so I talked her into writing a dream sequence.

**Nancy103:** While I'd like to brag and say that we are just that damn good, I cannot lie. Yes, this story was almost completely written a year ago. As was Trinity. Now it's just a matter of editing and posting. There may be a couple chapters to write to fill in a couple gaps, but for the most part, this is already written. JC 87 and I like to jump around a lot when we write. (We have chapters written for a story when Goten is 22! Which is a LONG way off from where we currently are.)

**Amkula:** I live to torment you, dear. That is all.


	24. Camping Under the Stars

Rose couldn't help but laugh as Goten bounced in the backseat of her car, exclaiming loudly how excited he was to get to spend the night with his Dad. He loved camping, he loved to fish and hunt with Tien, he loved Sabriena's food, on and on he went, proclaiming just how amazing this weekend was going to be.

Rose had to admit, she was rather excited about it, too. Her supervisor had thought this was a rather odd request, to have a campout in the middle of an investigation, but Rose assured her that she would be present for the entire thing and it would give her a better understanding of their family and their way of life. After all, how different was camping from the way Goku and his mates lived, really? Most people's versions of camping were more luxurious than Goku's day-to-day life.

Rose wondered if they'd all laugh at her for buying a new sleeping bag and an air mattress. She'd never slept on the ground before and she couldn't imagine it being terribly comfortable. Plus, bugs could get on you easier if you were right on the ground, right? She prayed they had a tent. She'd almost bought one, but then couldn't decide which one to get as she realized she knew nothing about camping at all.

Goten was nearly clawing to get out of the car when they landed in the yard that morning. Rose smiled as she and Goten got out of the car. "DADDY! WE'RE HERE!" Goten shouted, running forward into his dad's arms.

Dende turned, watching as Goten flung himself into Goku's embrace, the bigger man being knocked completely onto his back, laughing and holding his son up before he hugged him tightly. Dende chuckled and walked over to Rose, seeing her and feeling her little bit of awkwardness. He bowed to her, "It is good to see you again, Goku insisted that I be here today. I have to admit, this camping idea is brilliant." He turned and watched Goku and Goten, warm feelings of love and happiness radiating from them like light from the sun, "You've done very well keeping Goten safe and happy."

Rose smiled at Dende. "I try," she answered.

Zip flew over landing on Dende's arm, looking over at the two Saiyans on the he ground before he turned and peered at Rose curiously.

She stumbled backwards from the huge bird that landed on Dende's arm. "Oh my gosh!" she cried as she nearly fell on the ground. "What... is that thing TAME?!"

Dende seemed completely calm as the falcon perched on his forearm.

She didn't like its sharp eyes as it stared at her, turning his head at odd angles. Maybe this camping thing wasn't such a good idea. Oh, she shouldn't have agreed to this. She looked at the strong claws as they clung to Dende's arm. "Doesn't that hurt? Where did it come from?!"

Dende looked at Zip and suddenly realized that Rose hadn't been introduced. "My apologies Rose, I thought for certain Goku introduced you." He chuckled and pulled back a little bit of his sleeve, showing the thick leather strapped there, "Tien was letting me train with him before you all showed up. This is Zip, he is Goku's hunting falcon or whatever they call them," he reached up and scratched the bird's head lightly, "Goku found him when he was a little baby, raised him and all that. ZIp, you be nice to this lady here. No biting." He said and held out the bird to her, "He won't harm you. You may pet him if you like."

Rose blinked, wide-eyed, staring at the bird as she stepped closer. She cautiously reached a hand out, letting her fingers trail lightly over the feathers. "Oh wow," she breathed. "His feathers are so soft." A smile played across her full lips, a soft giggle working its way up from her throat. "Well, he's better than the goat at least." She looked around suddenly, spying the fat lop-eared goat munching on some weeds at the edge of the yard. The new cow was there as well; Rose nearly laughed at the bright pink collar Sabriena had placed around its neck, complete with a cowbell.

Zip leaned into her touch for a moment as she petted his head, then spread his wings suddenly and took to the sky.

Rose flinched and shrieked, but then laughed again as she watched the large bird circle overhead. "I don't know what to think anymore," she laughed lightly.

Dende gave the bird a skeptical look, "I think he's trying to show off."

Goku laughed as he walked over, carrying his son, "You and Tien will have to go hunting later, I think Zip is getting a little restless." He laughed and looked up at his falcon for a moment, remembering the adorable ball of feathers he had been. He looked down at Rose, "Were glad that you could make it. Really!"

"I brought a sleeping bag and an air mattress!" she beamed, proud of herself for being prepared for their campout. "I'm guessing you have a tent, right?"

Sabriena turned from stacking the logs in the firepit as Tien got out the bowdrill. Sabriena laughed, "A tent? What would we need a tent for?"

"I... uh... well... where were we going to sleep?" Rose asked nervously.

Sabriena held her hands out from her sides, indicating the ground.

Rose gasped. "Outside? No tent or anything? But... I mean... aren't there bugs and snakes and stuff?"

"And bears," Sabriena answered as she turned to go into the cabin, "Don't forget the bears." Rose looked pale as Sabriena laughed and disappeared into the cabin.

Goku shook his head, "She ah...had a bad experience with bears when she first met Tien out here...no bears come this close to the cabin, and next to the fire the bugs will stay away. If you are really worried, I guess you could sleep in the cabin on the floor," he pouted, but smiled a moment later and kissed his son, holding him tightly, "Zip can protect you, he likes bugs, the big ones. And snakes too! But those aren't around here."

Dende just chuckled as his friend smiled at her, "You are not helping Goku." He smiled at Rose, "If you permit me, I know a bit of magick to make sure the bugs will not bother you tonight."

Rose brightened at that. "Oh! That would be nice!" There was a brief sensation of butterflies in her stomach as Dende smiled at her and she turned her face slightly away, her cheeks turning pink. Why did his smile have to be so charming? She thought back to the night he'd slept over at her house, memories of the dream flooding her mind, and she had to look away for a second.

Tien stood up, admiring his fire. "There we go. You guys wanna go fishing and catch some lunch?" he asked.

"Yeah!" Goten cried excitedly. He looked at Goku, "Can we Daddy? And can Sabriena and Miss Rose come with us?!"

Goku laughed and nodded, setting his son on the ground, before he looked up at Rose, "Would that be alright? Would you like to come relax by the river while we fish up some grub? We can go find some of those mushrooms for your meal! Those things are tasty! I could eat them all day!" He grinned at Dende, "You have to come too! I was telling Goten we need to have a contest to see who can catch the biggest fish! Oh and we got marshmallows and chocolate for s'mores!,"

Rose looked uncertain, but Goten had his little hands clasped together as if he was praying, a puppy dog look on his face. "Oh, all right," she grinned, reaching out and grabbing Goten's chin. "Who can say no to that face?"

He laughed and wiggled out of his dad's arms, turning and running down towards the river. "Come on, Dad! Hurry up!" he called.

Rose laughed as Goku ran after his son and Tien hurried after them. "I don't know if I can do this," she said nervously to Dende as she headed towards the path that lead to the river. "You... you won't laugh at me if I have to walk away from this, will you? I don't do well with this sort of thing. I don't know if I can watch."

Dende chuckled and offered his arm to her, tucking her hand into his elbow as they walked down towards the river, "You let me know if it's too much and we will make up some excuse to come back up here and see what other kind of trouble we can get into." He smiled, "I am very happy that your boss allowed Goten to spend the weekend. They both needed it," he said looking on at father an son, "Goku has been hurting so much over this, to find out about everything and to lose his son on the same day..." He shook his head, "You are truly a most remarkable person."

"I wish I could close this faster for him and get him sole custody of his son. I can't imagine how horrible he must feel," she answered.

Dende found them a sandy spot on the shore near Goku, but not too close so that Rose could make a quick escape if the sight of fishing bothered her.

"I'm just glad to see how much he loves his little boy. Most of the parents I encounter don't care at all. I had a case like this once before, though. The mother was abusing the daughter while her husband was out working two jobs. He had NO clue what was going on in his own home," she said.

Dende smiled and reclined back, propping himself up on an elbow and sighed happily, his antennae twitching in the warm sunlight, "How terrible, I am sorry to hear that. Goku wouldn't have noticed, Chichi learned to hide it too well. If it hadn't been for Sabriena, no one would know." He smiled as Goku and Goten splashed into the water, diving after anything that caught their eye, laughing at the look Tien was giving them for scaring away all the fish, "It really did almost kill him. Thank you, Rose. For all that you do."

"I hope this case works out the same," she said, snickering at Goten and Goku. "We got the father sole custody. They're happy now." She sighed and shook her head. "I hate the way the divorce courts work. They ALWAYS favor the mother. I don't agree with that." She paused to watch as Tien waded out into the water.

"Stop. Would you two stop?" he said, grabbing Goten and standing him up. "Now come on. It'll be Christmas before we get lunch if you all carry on like that." He stood perfectly still, easing his hands into the water, watching with an intense look.

Goten took on a serious expression, watching Tien.

Tien's arms suddenly jerked forward and the next second he pulled back, a large fish wriggling in his hands. "Now you try," he said to Goten as he walked back onto the bank and dropped the fish into a bucket.

* * *

Rose happily spent the rest of the day watching Goten interact with everyone, the way he'd insisted on helping Tien butcher the fish (Rose had to go lock herself in the barn with the cow for a while when she realized what they were doing), Sabriena showed Goten how to cook the fish over an open fire, and Goku just beamed at his son, hugging him at every given opportunity. Rose and Dende had eaten salads by the river while the rest of them ate their fish by the fire in front of the cabin.

Rose didn't know what to think, this twisting feeling in her stomach, the fluttering in her heart. She was so confused by it all. She wondered if Dende was feeling what she felt, they had spent so much time together that day and she remembered he'd told her he could hear thoughts and feel emotions. Were butterflies an emotion? She couldn't help but think that they were and she pondered this as they made their way up to the cabin in the waning light.

Sabriena was busy laying out pelts of fur on the ground around the fire.

Rose paused and stared down at them. "Uh, what are those?" she asked.

Goku walked over, carrying the squishy pillows from the bed to the mess of furs and quilts, "This is our bed! Well, you know, minus the mattress!" He chuckled and set down the pillows before he turned and picked up a sleepy Goten, "Hey kiddo, why don't you go wash up and get ready for bed?" He sent him off.

Dende chuckled at Rose's look, "It's just the way things are out here. It is a circle, animals provide for so much, food, warmth, companionship. It would be more of a wrong if they let so much go to waste, but Tien knows how to make every bit of an animal useful."

"But why use them at all?" Rose asked, looking sadly down at the pelts.

"Because that's what they're for," Tien answered simply. "It's not mean or heartless, Rose. Every animal I take is done swiftly and humanely. If they weren't hunted, their numbers would grow too big and they would die slow deaths of disease and starvation. Now you tell me - which is better?" He was firm as he spoke, but not harsh, but Rose still seemed to shrink away from him. He intimidated the hell out of her for some reason.

"Are they..." she swallowed, "Are they clean?"

Sabriena threw her head back and laughed. "Rose, you're not going to catch cooties by touching a pelt."

Rose looked uncertainly at the furs at her feet and knelt to touch one. It felt soft and warm under her fingers. "It is sort of beautiful," she said uncertainly before she retracted her hand. She supposed she could understand, but she still didn't like it.

Goku smiled at Rose before he went over to her and leaned down, rubbing at the soft quilt as well, "Tien made it himself" He smiled, looking over his shoulder at his husband, "There's nothing wrong with these. He never takes the mother's, there is a balance to be kept." He stood up and looked around as Dende came over spreading his own sleeping bag on the ground next to Rose's. His hands glowed a gentle gold as he cast a spell to deter the bugs and snakes from crawling over them through the night.

Goku smiled as he saw Goten come back, rubbing his eyes and yawning, as he made a beeline for Sabriena and stood next to her holding on to her pants leg, "I'm tired."

Rose laid down on her sleeping bag on her side, staring into the fire, propping her head up on one elbow, grateful to not have to sleep on the pelts. Maybe she should stop being so judgmental towards Tien's lifestyle. Perhaps that was why she felt a bit of tension with him.

Sabriena grinned down at Goten, a perfect miniature of her husband, and scooped him up in her arms. "Then come on, let's get laid down," she said, nuzzling his cheek as he giggled. Sabriena flopped on the ground in the middle of the furs, curling her body around Goten. "You're gonna sleep right here with me, right?" Sabriena asked, kissing at his cheek and hugging him tightly. Gods, how she'd missed him. She wanted to keep him there with her forever.

Dende chuckled as he watched the exchange. Good heavens, how that woman had changed from the spoiled little child he had first met those years ago. He never foresaw this coming. He smiled widely as Goten nodded, laughing and giggling as he got situated in her arms, leaning up and kissing her cheek before he laid down again. Goku walked over and looked down at them, a big smile on his face, "Hey now! Where's my kiss?" He leaned down to take Goten back from Sabriena.

Sabriena curled herself tighter around Goten, giving Goku an untrusting stare out of the corner of her eye as she nuzzled into his black hair. "MY GOTEN," she growled.

Goten's eyes went wide for a second as he looked up at his dad before he started laughing. Daddy looked surprised, blinking wide-eyes at them as he reached for Goten again.

"Mine," Sabriena insisted, shoving at Goku's shoulder. "Mine, mine, mine!"

Goten gave a shout of surprise and laughter as Sabriena suddenly rolled over, pulling Goten across her to lay on her other side, turning her back to Goku. "DADDY!" Goten laughed, reaching his arms out for his father.

Goku tilted his head back and laughed, giving Tien a look before he hopped over to Sabriena's other side, falling to his knees and reaching for Goten, letting his son pull him down to lay next to them, as he smiled at Sabriena who peered at him from behind Goten's black hair. He chuckled, leaning forward and planting a kiss on Goten's forehead, before leaning behind him and kissing Sabriena. From this angle, he had an unobstructed view of Dende and Rose and he smiled at them, "Goodnight!"

Rose smiled at them and gave a small wave from across the firepit. "Goodnight," she answered softly.

Tien stood, his hands on his hips, looking down at his wife and husband. "Yeah, nobody's fighting to sleep next to me. I see how ya'll are." Without warning, Sabriena reached back with one leg and swept Tien's feet out from under him, causing him to land flat on his back directly behind her. He gave a shout of surprise and groaned as his back hit the ground. "Oh, you'll pay for that in training tomorrow," he growled.

"Training? Since when do we train?" Sabriena asked, not looking at him, "All you and Goku wanna do is eat, sleep and fu-"

Tien clapped a hand over her mouth. "Goten's still awake!" he scolded in a whisper.

She laughed against his hand as he snuggled up against her back.

He let go of her mouth and said, "Now go to sleep before your mouth gets you in trouble."

Rose had sat up and blinked at them when Tien hit the ground. She'd been sure he would react to Sabriena knocking him over, but it didn't seem to bother him. Not really. "This is all so confusing," she muttered, laying back down on her sleeping bag to stare up at the stars.

Dende chuckled at them, tucking his arm behind his head, "Oh, that was nothing. They are martial artists you know. Goku and Tien have faced each other many times in the tournament. A little leg sweep is not the worst thing." He waved his arm at her when he saw her big eyes widen further, "My apologies, I know you dislike violence of any kind." He smiled, "I'm glad Goku invited me out, today was fun."

"I'm just having a hard time understanding how people can fight like that when they love each other," she answered, rolling to her side to look at Dende. "I mean, I've always only seen people hit each other out of anger. I don't know. Maybe I'm more sheltered than I thought. No one ever hit each other in my family. This is just all so different to me." She looked into Dende's dark eyes, a nervous fluttering in her stomach again. What was that? "I really am trying to understand, Dende. It's hard for me to not be judgmental when that's what my whole job is about."

Goku was watching them as his eyes grew heavy as he snuggled next to his son, wife and husband. He felt so warm and content, he could lay there forever if the world would let him, freeze this moment in time. His eyes snapped over to them, hearing something strange about the way they were talking and he listened.

Dende looked at Rose, her eyes were so captivating as she spoke with an innocence that he was sad more people in the world didn't share, "Oh...I understand, Miss Rose. This life and what you are used to are completely different..." He felt content around this woman and he didn't know why. Perhaps someone so close to his own ideals. Someone who disliked violence as much as him, "I grew up around it, I am used to it. You can tell, most of the time, when someone strikes out of anger or out of another purpose. Their faces will smile, deep in their eyes you can see the love there."

Rose gave a soft smile. "I hadn't thought about that." She thought back, the day she'd seen Goku punch Goten when they sparred. There was no anger in his face, no hatred in his eyes. Sabriena had sat calmly by, watching them, giving words of encouragement. And now she lay on the ground, cuddling that little boy as if he were her own. "You're right, Dende." A smile pulled at her lips, "I wish I was able to see people as clearly as you do." She pulled off her glasses and rolled to her other side to lay them on her bag near the fire. She shivered slightly, her back now cold as it turned away from the fire. "Oh! Cold chill," she said quietly.

Goku heard it clearly that time and he stared wide eyed at her, "Wow, Rose!" He said hushed excitement in his voice, "Thats amazing! When did you learn how to speak Namekian?"

Dende blinked over at the Saiyan as if he had grown another head. They certainly hadn't been speaking Namekian, he would have known if they were speaking his native tongue and there was no way Rose knew how to speak the alien language. He chuckled, "Goku, go to sleep, you are hearing things," He smiled at Rose, "Unless you were speaking Namekian and we both didn't know it."

Goku pouted, his lip sticking out as he hunkered down closer to Goten, "I know what I heard."

Rose blinked at Goku. "I don't know how to speak Nam... Namek..." She glanced over her shoulder at Dende. "I can't say that word," she said. "Na-mek-i-an," she forced herself to say slowly. She laughed, a genuine, throaty laugh. "G-Goku! How can I speak a language when I can't even pronounce the name of it?" The idea was amusing to her. "I can't speak a foreign language to save my soul. Should'a heard me in French class back in high school," she giggled.

"You were speaking it! Don't ask me how." He stuck his tongue out at them and turned around, closing his eyes.

Dende smiled at his friend and looked at Rose. In the fire light she was breathtaking and his heart pounded away in his chest. He had no idea what Goku had heard and Rose was thinking the same thing, "Goku's been very stressed. This whole situation with his son is getting to him, you know." He chuckled, "Oh, but maybe you should learn Namekian. It would be good to hold a conversation in my own tongue again. You will have to let me convince you to come with me when I go visit next time. The language is almost...methodical...relaxing...you would enjoy it."

Rose laughed again at Goku as he stuck his tongue out at her. She turned towards Dende again, smiling brightly at him, her voice growing a bit softer again as she spoke, "I would love to. But you'd have to be patient with me. Like I said, I don't really do well trying to learn a different language. I get all tongue tied. And my teacher said my accent was atrocious." She bit her bottom lip, still smiling at him. She didn't know why she felt so giddy in that moment. "I'm having such a good time. I'm glad you came. I feel safe out here with you. I'm happy I get to sleep with you... I - I mean... by you! I... oh... I'm doing it again," she groaned, covering her face with her hands. What an incredibly inappropriate thing to say to him after that dream he'd had at her apartment.

Dende chuckled and felt a blush grow across his cheeks at her words, knowing what she meant but it warmed him from the inside out, "Thank you, I'm glad I get to sleep with you too," He teased, feeling the butterflies twirling around in his stomach, "I don't think I've ever gone camping until I met Goku. He's big on the fishing and sleeping under the stars." He glanced up at the crystal clear night, seeing all of them twinkling. He pointed up at one, next to a brilliant cluster of stars, "That's New Namek right there. That tiny little dot." He chuckled, "Not too impressive from here, but you can get the idea. It has a little greenish tint to its light."

Rose squinted up into the darkness, everything was blurry to her. She snatched her glasses and put them back on, everything coming into focus and she saw the little greenish light he pointed to. "Oh wow," she breathed. "That's amazing. How weird to be able to see your home from here like that." She suddenly longed to go there, to meet his family, to see his old home. "I've never really looked at the stars. Now I see why everyone thinks they're so beautiful." She lost herself for a moment, there were so many stars out here without the streetlights of the city. It was overwhelming. "Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?" she whispered.

He was gazing at her, the way her eyes sparkled in the fire light, the way it caught her hair, "No," He whispered, catching himself, his cheeks blazing purple as he quickly looked back up to his planet, "You've really never gone stargazing before?" He said, astounded, "You'll have to come by the Lookout again when it's night. You won't find a place closer to the stars. Save for Everest, but it's a little cold there I'm told." He winked at her.

She gave a slight giggle and looked at him again, her breath catching at just how handsome he was. The green skin was a bit unnerving at first, but once you got used to it, it was easy to see just how attractive this man was. The firelight warmed the emerald green of his skin and made his dark eyes glow. There was a content, happy feeling settling into her as she looked at him. "I'd love to come look at the stars with you sometime. Just, as long as we don't have to be too close to the edge. I don't know how you can walk along the edge of the Lookout like you were the other day. That scares me. Although, you can fly, like Goku? I guess it wouldn't be so scary if you knew you wouldn't fall."

Dende laughed, warm and bright, "Yes, I can fly. But there's something about standing on that edge and looking down at a world a thousand miles below. The freefall alone is enough to set your soul free. To fall without fear. To feel that rush in your body as you fly free, no power holding you up. Just to experience it. Just once. To know that you are like the birds in the sky. You will have to try it some time. Know that I will catch you."

She blinked wide-eyed at him, her mouth falling open. "You... you want me to jump from up there?! You've lost your mind!" she laughed. She sobered when she saw the serious expression on his face. "Oh my god, you're serious. Dende, I... I don't think I could." She paused and studied him for a moment. Something deep down in her knew he wouldn't let her get hurt. He would catch her. She fixed him with a surprised but intense stare, trying to read him like he could read her. "Seriously? You promise you'll catch me?" The idea terrified and excited her at the same time. She'd never done anything so reckless in her life.

Dende chuckled, "Of course, what better way to conquer your fear than to jump without it. I will catch you and that fear will just fall away." He smiled at her, "I'll make a bet with you… if you jump once and don't ask me to let you do it again, I'll buy us lunch somewhere nice. But I bet you'll want to do it a second time." He smiled at her, feeling giddy, like he was trying to convince her to do something bad but it wasn't. Not really. He found himself wanting to be near her, "It's good for when the days seem to become too much. I guarantee that it will take your mind off of whatever ails you." He reached out and tucked a flyaway strand of hair behind her ear, completely missing the way Goku smiled at them from his position across the fire.

Rose's eyes fluttered shut at his touch, a jolt of happiness shot down her spine. It was like something inside her was crying out for more, yet she seemed frozen under his touch. She opened her eyes to look at him again, not realizing the sultry expression on her face as she said in a low voice, "Well then I'll just have to save it for a day when I really need it." A small smile pulled at her lips, "But you have to promise not to laugh if I scream and cry." She stared at him for a moment longer, his hand seemed to linger by her ear, his fingertips still in her hair. "We should probably go to sleep," she whispered, but didn't move to lay back against her pillow.

For some strange reason, he felt the oddest compulsion to lean forward and kiss her, but that would surely be unwelcome, especially after that awkward night at her apartment. He sadly nodded and let his fingers slip through her impossibly soft hair as he sighed happily, "Goodnight, Miss Rose. I am glad that we have become good friends."

Rose's expression brightened at that, her smile growing wider. She lightly laid her hand over Dende's wrist that continued to linger next to her face. "Friends," she said softly, unable to stop the huge smile that split her face.


	25. Too Much of a Good Thing

. Rose sat upright in bed, panting and sweating like crazy. Another dream. Another damn sex dream. This was driving her insane. She was dragging at work, nearly falling asleep at her desk because every night, she felt like she was getting no rest. It was to the point now where she was trying to stay up late, hoping to be so exhausted that she wouldn't dream at all. But it didn't help. No matter what she did, no matter how much or how little sleep she got, she kept having vivid dreams about sex. And never with a faceless stranger or a celebrity she admired. No. It was always Dende or Goku. Night after night, every time she fell asleep, she instantly seemed to find herself in the arms of one of them. And while the first couple of times it happened she found it rather enjoyable and amusing, now she couldn't make it stop and she was exhausted.

She rubbed at her eyes and grabbed her glasses off the nightstand to look at the clock. 7:30. She had to talk to someone. Surely somebody somewhere would know how to make these dreams stop. A sudden idea struck her and she flung herself out of bed, dressing warmly in jeans and a pretty striped sweater before she grabbed her keys, heading for her car.

* * *

Tien ducked a punch from Goku, spinning in the air to try and catch the Saiyan with a kick. "I hope Sabriena finishes up all that canning soon. Smelling all those jars of jam she's fixing is making me hungry!" The first cool air of autumn had settled in and now everything was a rush to get the harvest from the garden put up for winter.

Goku laughed and kept his fists up, his stomach growling loudly as he dodged another left hook from Tien and he jumped just in time to avoid the leg sweep, "You're telling me! I've been hungry since she started! How much trouble would we be in if we just stole a jar, just for a taste?" He grinned widely and caught his husband's fist in his hand, "Too slow, old man." He laughed at the look on Tien's face.

"I'mma show you old man," Tien growled, dropping his martial arts tactics in favor of tackling Goku, pinning him to the ground by the waist, the two of them wrestling in the dirt.

Sabriena stepped out onto the porch, wiping the sticky jam from her fingers and laughing at them when a noise caught her attention. She sighed when she saw the white car landing in the yard. "Goku," she said. He and Tien were still wrestling in the dirt as Rose stepped out of her car. "Goku! GOKU! I think someone's here to see you!"

Goku blinked up, his head being shoved into the dirt as Tien straddled his back, pinning one arm behind his back. "Ow! Okay, okay, uncle, uncle!" He laughed and rolled over when Tien let him up, accepting the hand to pull him to his feet. "I demand a rematch later!" He laughed and brushed off his clothes, looking over at who it was, "Rose!" He walked over to her, his arms wide and enveloped her in a hug, "How are you? Is everything alright?"

She tried not to enjoy the hug too much. Gods, he smelled amazing. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him back, remembering just last night how he'd felt in her arms, how amazing his body looked as he lay over her. 'Damn these dreams!' She quickly stepped away. "I hope you don't mind that I just dropped by like this. I know it's still early, but I was hoping you could help me out with something. Can I talk to you?"

He blinked innocently at her, "Yeah sure, of course! Are you sure it's me you wanted? Sometimes my problem solving skills are, ah, limited." He laughed, "You want to stay for lunch?" He paused and turned. "Is it okay if she stays for lunch?" he asked loudly over at his two mates.

Sabriena shrugged. "Sure."

Rose smiled at her and nodded before she turned back to Goku. "Well, I remembered that old lady that was with you, your daughter-in-law's grandmother, I think? She seemed like she knows a lot of stuff. I thought, you know, maybe she might've told you something that could help me."

Goku chuckled, "First off, don't let her hear you call her an old lady. She quite young for her age." He held out his arm for Rose to take and lead her away from the cabin, "She knows a lot about everything, but what are you having troubles with that you would want her help with?" He lead her down to the river, the morning light starting to give way to the afternoon sun. The reddish, gold colors of the leaves were falling on the water, making it for a beautiful scene. Goku helped her to sit on a rock and then sat next to her, pulling his feet up and faced her with a serious expression.

"I didn't mean to be disrespectful," Rose apologized. She drew a deep breath and looked around. Gods, it was gorgeous out here. And she still couldn't help but feel extremely safe in this place. "I... I keep having dreams. Like, every single night. I can't sleep anymore. And even when I do, I wake up exhausted. I wish I knew how to make them stop."

Goku blinked at her, his eyes narrowing, "Are you having nightmares?" He rubbed at his face, "Gramma might be able to help you with that." He looked off for a moment before he focused on her face again, "Back before I married Tien and Sabriena. When I was still with my ex wife, I used to have terrible nightmares about the evil coming to destroy this world and everything that I held dear. When I was kicked out of the house for screaming too loud, I went to go see Gramma Arthusia and she made me this dream catcher. She made it really strong. I haven't had a nightmare since."

Rose screwed up her face. "Ehhhh, they're not nightmares," she answered, looking down at her hands in her lap. She shifted uncomfortably. Maybe she shouldn't have come to him about this. But if this dream catcher worked for him, maybe she could find one somewhere. "Does a dream catcher stop all of your dreams?" she asked.

Goku shook his head, "No. It just keeps the bad ones from getting through to me. Trust me, the good dreams will be able to get through." He sighed, his eyes going unfocused for a moment as he stared back up at the cabin, a dreamy look on his face before he shook his head, "Anyway, I don't know if she could make you something that repels non-nightmares. Maybe you should see her anyway. She might be able to tell you what your dreams mean?"

"Ha! ...haha... No, that's okay," Rose answered nervously. "I know what they mean. I just wish they'd stop." She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, finally looking at him again. Gods, did he have to stare at her so intently like that? She found her breath catching in her throat, her most recent dream of him flooding her mind and she rubbed at her face again, feeling it go hot. "Nevermind, then, I guess." She yawned and covered her mouth with her hand, wishing for nothing but one dreamless night's sleep.

Goku thought for a moment, "Well, I don't know what to say. I guess it depends on how strong the dreams are, where they are coming from. It could just be that you need a special sleeping pill. Or some kind of herbal remedy. I'd take you to see Gramma for that if you think you need it. There's got to be something."

"I'd hate to bother her. I don't really know her," Rose muttered. This was so frustrating, and now being around Goku, she felt even more flustered than she had before. She yawned again. "Maybe I can just pick up something from the drugstore to knock me out. I've been trying to avoid sleep, thinking if I was tired enough I might not dream, you know? But that's not working either. The dreams are really strong. Like it's really happening. I think that's why I'm so t-tired," she yawned again. "Oh, excuse me, Goku. I'm sorry. I don't mean to keep yawning."

Goku laughed, "Well, there's gotta be something we can do for you. What are the dreams about? Maybe there's something in these woods that could help you out. I'll bet one of Sabriena's meals and a nice warm bed would knock you right out." He chuckled, "And don't worry. If you fall asleep, I'll just," he yawned, "curl up next to you and we will sleep in the sun."

Rose's eyes went wide and she felt her face burn. "I don't think your wife and husband would appreciate that," she squeaked. She scooted back a little bit on the rock. Oh, she was stupid. She should've known he would ask what kind of dreams she was having. Her mind worked furiously, trying to think of a lie, but nothing came to her. "I... I can't tell you," she said quietly, looking away from him again.

Goku laughed and raised his hands up, "Fair enough," He smiled at her, "Just without specifics, it's hard to tell what would be a good idea and what would be a bad one."

Rose groaned and covered her face with her hands. Was she desperate enough for these dreams to end that she was willing to tell him about them? If one of her coworkers found her dozing at her desk again, it could cost her her job. Not to mention, she could miss vital information while doing her investigations. No, her job was more important than her pride. She didn't have to tell him the dreams were about him.

"Please don't repeat this, but I've been having really vivid dreams about," she swallowed, still not looking at him, chewing at her lower lip, "about... being with someone. Someone I shouldn't be with. It wakes me up and makes me feel like I haven't slept at all." She was sure that her face must be nearly purple by now from her blush. Purple. The same color that Dende blushed. The same color that rose to his skin when... STOPPIT. She squeezed her eyes shut, but all that did was make the image more bold in her mind.

She tried to suppress a whimper, but failed miserably. "Oh my god, Goku, there's something wrong with me," she said, covering her face with her hands again. She'd never felt so embarrassed before.

Goku knew what she was trying to say and he felt his own blush gracing his cheeks as he remembered that particularly amazing dream with Vegeta. He coughed and put a hand on her shoulder, "Hey now. Everyone has those kinds of dreams, it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you." He rubbed the back of his neck, "Oh heck, when I was having those kinds of dreams, it ultimately lead me to something I was wanting, but too afraid to ask for it."

Rose looked up nervously at him. "Did it really?" she asked. The only problem was, she didn't know what she wanted. She hadn't known Goku or Dende for very long, but she considered both of them her friends and thinking about them like that was so awkward. Especially when she couldn't be with either of them. "But is it normal to have those kinds of dreams this often?" she asked timidly.

Goku nodded, "Well yeah! There's nothing wrong with it. Especially with you, I mean, you're working all the time, worrying about those less fortunate. Those who need your help. And then I throw all of this crazy life at you with green aliens and monkey aliens with tails. Your body is probably wanting something from you, reminding you to take time for yourself now and then. But if you are really having trouble sleeping, there's gotta be something that can be done. Maybe Gramma has a spell for it or maybe Dende might figure something out."

Rose's face went hot again. She hadn't really seen him since the campout and she wasn't sure she wanted to talk to him about this. He still had the tendency to read her mind from time to time, especially if she was 'thinking loudly' as he claimed, and with as tired as she was, she felt like her brain was screaming at this point. "I don't really want to talk to Dende about it," she muttered. She sighed, thinking it would be nice to see him, though. She was just so embarrassed about the dreams that were happening every night since then. She didn't want him to find out that she was having dreams about him or Goku. She gave another nervous giggle. "And Gramma kinda scares me, " she admitted.

Goku tilted his head back and laughed, "Oh, she can be scary, but if you get on her good side, you're well taken care of." He smiled fondly, reminded of the scent of cloves and her cool hands slipping through his hair. He flopped back in the grass then and tugged Rose to lay down with him, "Come on then, let's take a nap before lunch. You look like you could use it!"

"But, Goku!" she protested, squirming away from him, looking scared. "What if I have another dream?! If... If I did that while I was laying next to you... I... What if I said something embarrassing? Or made a weird... No. No, I can't. I would die of embarrassment!" Gods, she wanted to. Nothing sounded more appealing in that moment than to lay next to him and sleep. But what if she spoke aloud the things she was dreaming? What if she called out his name?

Goku shrugged at her, "So?" He smiled and patted the spot next to him, "I cross my heart I won't laugh or judge. Though if Sabriena hears you, I'd be prepared to run away. Who knows what she might think is going on down here." He laughed and reclined back, resting his arms behind his head, "I used to be just like you. My ex-wife got on me about things like that and I didn't think it was normal or okay to have those, but you can't control what you dream, right?"

She blinked at him. That was the same thing she'd told Dende. She closed her eyes, biting her lips together, and drew a long breath through her nose. She was so tired. "You are a bad influence," she scolded but moved to lay down in the grass, taking care not to lay too close to him. Oh, the grass was soft and strangely warm here in the sunlight, despite the cool autumn breeze. Rose yawned deeply and pulled off her glasses. "Promise to protect me from your wife if I do something stupid."

Goku laughed and tugged her closer, "Come on now, I trust you. I make for a good pillow I'm told." He tugged her until the back of her head was resting on his abdomen, "See, isn't that better?" He smiled at her and looked back up at the sky, "Get some rest, Rose." He hoped she would be able to sleep better now, sleeping but not sleeping. No rest wasn't good.

Rose's eyes fluttered shut as she settled back against Goku. Oh, this was heaven. She felt her body becoming heavy with sleep and there was no fighting it now. "You are a good pillow," she said sleepily. She turned her head slightly to the side and quickly drifted off to sleep.

Rose was sleeping peacefully at Goku's side, the warm sun on her, the steady sound of his breathing lulling her, but the next thing she knew, Dende was beside her. He was kissing her, his hands roaming over her body. She moaned at his touch and gasped out as his mouth captured her nipple. She cried out as his hot, hard cock slid into her body, filling her perfectly. It was incredible. Her eyes were rolling in her head, her breath coming in short gasps. She could feel her orgasm building, she was so close to that edge. "Oh gods! Oh DENDE!" she cried out as her body tensed.

Rose sat bolt upright, shaking again and looking wildly around. Trees, a river, where the hell? Oh. OH Gods. She was at the cabin. She'd fallen asleep on Goku. She couldn't even turn to see if he was still behind her. She wanted to crawl in a hole and die of embarrassment.

Goku had been dozing, wanting to make sure that Rose was sleeping peacefully. It had only taken an hour when it had happened, stirring him from his sleepy state of mind and he chuckled over at her where she bolted upright and was frozen. She had warned him, hadn't she? He didn't realize she had it this bad. "Are you sure you don't want to go see Dende?" he teased, wagging his eyebrows at her. Reaching out, he poked her side, tugging her to lay back down. "Relax. Just enjoy the dream, Rose. Don't be embarrassed by it. Try telling your partner in there that you just want to sleep, hold each other. Get to sleep in your dream."

"No. No, I can't," she said, sitting up. She was shaking all over. This was ridiculous. Had he just heard what she said? Had she called Dende's name out loud? She wanted to scream or cry or HIT something. Dammit, all she wanted to do was sleep. "I can't just enjoy it," she said, sounding rather irritated. "How can I enjoy it? I just want to sleep!"

Goku just simply looked at her, a sadness in his eyes. He didn't like seeing her like this, it was starting to eat at her from the inside out, "I'm trying to help you," He said quietly. He really didn't know what to do for her. If she was having those kinds of dreams everytime she closed her eyes, it was no wonder she was so tired, but what could make them stop?

She turned to look at him. "I know you are," she answered softly. She rubbed at her face. "I'm sorry, Goku. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just so tired. This is starting to affect everything. I'm short with my coworkers. I keep trying to fall asleep at my desk. I nearly fell asleep driving my car the other day!" She felt around in the grass for her glasses and put them back on so she could see him properly. She was so tired, it was starting to make her hurt. She sighed in frustration, wondering if Dende could really help without him finding out the dreams were about him. She felt weird, though, telling him that she'd had dreams like this after he'd had that dream at her home. "Do you think Dende could make them stop? I mean, without him knowing who my dreams are about?"

Goku nodded, "He can help. Tell him you don't want him to see your dreams and he won't look. I can promise you that." He stood up and held a hand down to her pulling her up against him before he turned back to the cabin, shouting up at Tien who was working in the garden, "Hey! We'll be right back!" He pressed two fingers to his forehead and in the next breath, they were standing on the middle of the Lookout. The bright sunlight was warm, the tiles were glimmering.

Dende turned, pausing in his walk, surprised to see Goku and Rose of all people. He smiled and was about to head over when he saw the serious expression on Goku's face and the absolutely exhausted look on Rose's, "Goku, what's wrong?" He asked as he walked over.

Goku waved, "I'll tell you, but first you can't read our minds or thoughts about this. Promise?"

Dende raised an eyebrow at the request, but nodded, bowing, "You have my word. Now, what is wrong? Rose are you hurt?"

Rose shook her head. "No. I'm just tired," she answered, looking at him with a pleading in her eyes. "I keep having dreams that wake me up or that make me feel exhausted when I do get up. They're not nightmares, though." Her face was starting to blush again, but at this point she didn't much care. She felt like she could just fall over on the tile and sleep for a week. But even if she did, she'd just have more of those damn dreams. About both of them. She looked from Goku to Dende then looked down at the tile shaking her head. What had she gotten herself into with the two of them? She looked back up at Dende. "I'm going to lose my job if I don't get some rest," she stated, hoping he'd understand the weight of her words, how much it would kill her to lose that job.

Dende understood, he could hear the pleading in her voice. The desperation for sleep, "Too much of a good thing." He said, pondering. Too many good dreams, too many dreams. He had also been having trouble sleeping, though he was still managing to get enough rest for what he needed to do. However, Rose was still human and she had limitations. He thought for a moment and nodded, "I think I can help. Unwanted dreams are technically classified as nightmares in my book. Regardless of the content in them." He walked closer to her and raised his hand to gently place it on her forehead. He carefully pressed his thumb against the place between her eyes, closing his own and summoning up his energy, "Sleep without dreams, Rose. Find rest when you close your eyes and be free from what plagues you." Her mind was a jumbled mess, but as promised, he did not look into her memories, but feelings, the desperation, the fear, the extreme case of exhaustion she was dealing with. He could lock away the dreams for a time, but not forever.

Rose shivered as the warm energy flooded her mind and her eyes fell closed. Dende's hand on her felt comforting as all of her frustration just seemed to melt away. Her mind went blissfully blank, as if the dreams themselves were dissipating completely. A tear slipped from beneath her closed eyes as sheer relief washed over her. "Oh my god, Dende," she whispered and leaned into his hand a little more, "Thank you." She opened her eyes again, still exhausted, but relieved to feel like finally the dreams would stop. Her brain was foggy with lack of sleep, her body aching and tired. She threw herself against his chest, hugging him. "Thank you so much," she said softly, her voice nearly cracking. "Someday I'll figure out a way to repay you for being such a good friend." She nearly laughed as she leaned into him; he was so warm she could've easily fallen asleep against him.

Dende felt his heart warm as he held her close, "Rose, the only thing I want from you is to rest easy." He looked up at Goku and then back down at her, "You are exhausted, my dear. Please, you will need to sleep and should there be any trouble with your dreams, I want you to come back and we will make some adjustments, yeah?" He looked back over at Goku, "And come get me if you have trouble waking her up, but I think she could sleep for a week."

Rose gave a slight laugh, "A week at least, if not more." She was grateful Dende kept his word and didn't read her mind. She searched his eyes, trying to see any hint of a clue that he might've broken his promise, but there was nothing there. She gave him a soft smile, "It's nice to know I can trust you. Thank you, Dende." She stepped back from him, regretting the separation. She could've easily curled up next to him and gone straight to sleep. Or Goku. 'Dammit, stop it!' her mind screamed at her. No wonder she was so confused all the time. Adding that to a lack of sleep, it was a wonder she hadn't been committed to an asylum by now. "Thank you both for helping me. I'm sorry I had to ask, but I didn't know what else to do. I hate to bother you all with my problems when I know you both have so much going on in your own lives."

Dende tilted his head back and laughed, "Oh Rose. You are one of the kindest people I have ever met. You give and give and give, yet you ask nothing in return."

Goku nodded and smiled down at Rose, "We're your friends Rose, if you need something, just ask us." He smiled back over at Dende, "Well, I'd better get her back home. I think some hot food and a hibernation would do her some good."

"Thanks again, Dende," she smiled. "Maybe I could take you to that bakery I told you about as a thank you?" She stepped closer to Goku, taking hold of his arm, preparing to leave. "Come see me in a few days or something. I mean, if you can. I understand if you're busy."

Dende nodded and smiled at her, "I'd like that." He lifted his hand in a wave, "Till then Rose. See you later Goku." He watched as they disappeared from his sight and he let out a sigh, going back over to the edge of the lookout and started to watch again. It was burning in his mind to know, what on earth had she been dreaming about?

"We're back!" Goku announced loudly as they returned, smiling down at Rose, "You going to fall asleep on me during lunch?"

"I might," she yawned.

Sabriena smiled and went to Goku, placing a warm kiss on his lips. "Lunch is ready," she said and motioned for him and Rose to sit down. She'd set four bowls of vegetable soup on the table along with her homemade bread and slices of cheese. She looked at Rose, "It's not beef stock. It's vegetarian, I promise."

Rose gave an appreciative smile, "Thank you, Mrs. Shinhan." She leaned over the bowl, inhaling the delicious scent, and her eyes fell closed. She gave a little jerk and made herself sit up straighter, suddenly worried that she might fall asleep face-first in her soup.

Tien entered the cabin and threw himself in his chair, groaning. "I almost think our harvest is too big this year," he laughed.

Goku chuckled, "Why don't you take the afternoon off? I'll work the garden after lunch." He bit into the soup, closing his eyes to savour the delicious broth. He put a slice of cheese on the bread and dipped it into the bowl, watching the cheese start to melt into the bread, "Gods Sabriena, this is amazing." He loved food, hot meals even more, but his wife's cooking had to be the best in the world.

Sabriena beamed as her husbands dug into their lunch and she sat herself in her usual spot to eat her own lunch. "How is it, Rose?" she asked, turning to look at the caseworker. Sabriena threw her head back and laughed. "And now apparently my cooking is a sedative!" Rose hadn't even managed to take so much as a single bite. She had sat in the chair, laid her head on her arm, and had immediately fallen asleep.

Tien blinked at her. "What'd you do to her, Goku?" he teased.

Goku chuckled and carefully pulled Rose's bowl over towards himself, "She said she's been having trouble sleeping for a couple of weeks now. Unwanted dreams. She was falling asleep while driving, at work, but it wasn't restful sleep. So I took her to see Dende. Apparently it worked." He smiled, "I'll take her back home after lunch and then I'll slave away in the garden." He winked at them.

"We'll work together," Tien corrected him. He looked over at Rose and shook his head before he returned to his lunch.

"Hurry up and eat," Sabriena said, "We've got a lot of work to do today." She ate quickly for a few minutes before she looked to Goku, "You think I should send some of this home with her? I did make it for her, you know."

Goku nodded, looking sheepish, "Sorry about that. I really didn't know she was this tired. I think she'd like that. She will have something to eat whenever she manages to pry herself awake long enough to enjoy it." He smiled over at Tien, "Just don't shove me in the dirt this time, I'll fight back," He teased.

"Oh, I don't mind cooking for her, you don't have to be sorry," Sabriena said. "I just thought, you know, since she doesn't cook, I'd send some home for her. Might earn you some brownie points in your case." She winked at him.

Tien laughed, "I won't shove you in the dirt if you don't call me an old man." He narrowed his eyes at Sabriena while pointing at Goku, "He gets that from you, you know. You're a horrible influence on him."

Sabriena threw her head back and laughed as she got up and put her bowl in the wash tub and went to get some soup for Rose to take home.

Goku snickered, but looked over at Sabriena, smiling happily, "Good thinking." He laughed and quickly finished the rest of his meal and Rose's untouched bowl. No need to let it go to waste. Sabriena would kill him. He then helped get the dished together, snatching Tien's before he could stand up and went over to start washing, "Its going to be a long day, you should save your strength, dear." He winked at Tien.

Tien rolled his eyes and shook his head again. "It's about time you did something useful around here," he teased.

Sabriena set the basket of food she'd prepared on the table and peered curiously at Rose.

"Sabriena," Tien said in a warning voice.

Sabriena poked Rose's shoulder, but Rose didn't respond. She pursed her lips, trying not to laugh and poked her again, hard enough to actually make her move. But still, Rose slept. "I think you killed her," Sabriena snickered.

Goku dried his hands and came back to the table, peering down at Rose from over Sabriena's shoulder, "Gosh, she's out isn't she?" He stepped around and carefully lifted Rose into his arms before he reached out and took the basket of food from Sabriena, "I'll be right back." He vanished, reappearing in Rose's apartment. He had to blink and double check that he was in the right place. It was more messy than he remembered it and he figured it might have something to do with reflecting her state of mind. He set down the basket of food and went back to Rose's bedroom, the sheets were thrown haphazardly off. He sat her down on the edge, letting her slump against him as he took off her shoes before he laid her back on the bed and pulled the covers up to her chin, "There you go. Sleep well Rose." He looked around and grabbed a spare bit of paper and a pen, jotting down a quick message that there was food ready to be eaten in her kitchen when she woke up.


	26. Different

Rose smiled, her eyes dancing as she and Dende walked down the street towards the little bakery. The October air was crisp and chilly with a slight breeze, turning her cheeks pink. "Just wait until you try their cinnamon buns," she grinned. "You'll think you've died and gone to heaven." She was feeling so much better now that she was sleeping soundly through the night. She could smell the delicious scent of the bakery already, wafting towards them on the cold air.

Dende chuckled, "It's good to see you in such high spirits, you are looking much improved since that day you came to the Lookout dead tired." He sighed happily, breathing in the cold air, the fragrant scent of the bakery made his stomach growl with hunger. He chuckled, "My apologies, I've been looking forward to these."

"Then wait no longer," Rose grinned and opened the door for him to the warm, inviting bakery. She didn't know why she felt so giddy. Maybe because she was actually getting to do something kind for him instead of always asking for his help. The glass display case held a beautiful arrangement of sweets, but Rose didn't have to look long to find the ones she wanted. She pointed to the cinnamon rolls the size of a dessert plate. "Told you these things were huge," she giggled. She bought two of them and two cups of coffee for her and Dende. "I'm so glad you came with me today."

"I was happy to come. Thank you for having me along, Rose." Dende marveled at the size of the treat before he took a bite of it, his eyes rolling in the back of his head. The roll was moist and delicious, cinnamon laced throughout and the sweetest glaze of cream cheese icing melted on his tongue, "OH... Oh wow..." He smiled widely over at her, "Rose! These are amazing!"

Rose wanted to answer, but her mouth was full of pastry and all she could do was smile and nod. They sat at a little table off to the side of the bakery, happily enjoying their treats. "Thank you so much for helping me with those dreams," Rose said between bites. "I've been sleeping so much better. You have no idea how much I appreciate that."

Dende smiled and nodded, eating his own, chuckling as he saw a little bit of the icing stick to her nose. He just shook his head and reached out, wiping it off, "Messy. I think you've been hanging around Goku too much, you are starting to eat like him," He laughed and took another blissful bite. He loved the weather like this, to bundle up and enjoy the warmth of coffee and good food with wonderful people, "I'm just glad I could help you out. Sleep is a sacred thing."

She giggled when he wiped at her nose, her heart fluttering at his touch. This was fun. Just a day to spend doing whatever she wanted, not worrying about her work. She prayed her cell phone didn't go off. Not today. Today was about spending time with Dende, not worrying him over her or her problems. She wanted to show him that she valued their friendship, that she didn't want to just take from him all the time. The hot coffee was perfect with the cinnamon roll. "So any ideas about what you'd like to do after this?" she asked.

Dende sat for a moment, thoughtfully licking his fingers clean after he ate the last delicious bite of that cinnamon roll. Oh he never should have revealed to her his one weakness to her was that sweet tooth of his. "I didn't have anything in mind. It is a chilly fall day. I wouldn't mind walking along the streets and shops, looking at the decorations. Maybe even, window shop, as you say?

"Sure!" Rose agreed, finishing off her own roll as well. "Oh my god, that was so good." She drank down the rest of her coffee, then stopped and snickered at herself. She had icing all over her fingers. "I am as bad as Goku," she muttered. She sucked the icing from her fingers, one at a time, her cheeks hollowing. "Mmmmmm." She let her last finger pop from her mouth with a smack of her lips. "Soooo good," she giggled.

Dende felt his cheeks grow hot as he watched her with rapt attention as she noisily sucked her fingers, his body betraying him as he remembered that vivid dream he had of her, those full pink lips latched around his cock, suckling his flesh. He swallowed hard and laughed it off, "Good gods above, Rose. What are we going to do with you?" He giggled with her at the expression her face, "Remind me not to get between you and that cinnamon roll," He offered his arm to her.

She laughed and took his arm, slinging her purse over her shoulder. "You might lose a hand if you do that," she grinned.

They stepped out of the bakery into the chilly afternoon air. The trees were beautiful with their gold and red leaves, the breeze causing some of them to fall gently through the air.

Rose couldn't stop smiling at the feel of Dende's arm in her hand. She loved how much of a gentleman he was. That seemed like such a rare thing nowadays. She sighed happily as they strolled down the sidewalk, looking at the window displays of the shops. Some of them were starting to put out their Christmas decorations already, even though it was still a bit too early for that. "I should grab some new ornaments for my tree," Rose thought aloud. She looked at Dende, "Do you celebrate Christmas?"

Dende smiled at her, turning from a display of an ornately decorated tree covered with pretty little baubles and twine, "Of course, but more for the, um, how to say this. More for the meaning, the thought, rather than the religion. It is good to think of others and give without thinking to receive anything in return." He looked back at the tree, "Jennifer always puts up a small tree on the Lookout. She says its because of the ornaments, the tradition. Each ornament holds a special memory and that's why she does it. It's a story, more or less."

Rose smiled. "I'm not really religious, either," she said. "I just like the way the tree looks. And I like spending time with my family. It's about the only time I get to see my brother." She smiled warmly at the thought. "And I like to give gifts to others more than I like getting them." She paused to laugh, "You know, when I was little, my mom always said it was more fun to give gifts than to receive them. I thought she was full of it. But now I understand."

Dende laughed out loud, "Yes, I agree. Something about it. Seeing the looks on other peoples faces. It warms the heart. " He chuckled as they continued walking on down the street, "You should see the looks on the girls faces at Christmas time. Paige especially, so adorable. Has to make sure everyone sees what she got and how it's so amazing."

She smiled again as they started down the street again. "That's adorable. She was so cute that day I met her."

They stopped to look at another window display, but something caught Rose's eye, making her smile fade. Two men were blatantly staring at her and Dende, disgusted looks on their faces. Rose swallowed nervously and looked back at the window, trying to ignore them. They were big and rough looking, leaning against the brick wall of a shop, muttering to each other, occasionally making cat-calls at women walking by on the street. Rose stepped a bit closer to Dende, casting another glance at them, only to cringe as she realized they were looking her way again.

Dende saw them and easily picked up on their nasty thoughts from more than a few steps away. He protectively pulled Rose closer to him, casually, and looked across the road, "Shall we cross here then? Looks like there are some more shops further down." He asked, looking into the store and seeing some fuzzy throws and handsomely made quilts. He briefly thought that Goku would like one, as he did enjoy staying warm.

"Hey, where ya goin'?" one of the men called in his rough voice, both men walking towards Rose and Dende. The one who had spoken stepped in front of Dende, blocking his path. "Now what's a pretty lady like this doing with a green freak like you?"

Rose gasped at his words, blinking at the man in shock. That hurt to hear someone say something nasty like that to Dende. Why would someone say such a thing? Just because the color of his skin was different? The other man looked Rose up and down like she was a piece of meat. She threw him a nasty look.

Dende pressed his lips thin, "Apparently keeping her safe from trash like you. Excuse us," He made to move around the men, making sure that he had a good grasp on Rose, "Hold onto me tightly," He said quietly to her. He didn't much care for violence, but Piccolo had taught him a few moves that were more than enough to take down these thugs. However, he certainly did not want to fight in front of Miss Rose.

Rose slid her arm around Dende's waist, squeezing him a little harder than perhaps she should have, but she didn't like these men.

The man who hadn't spoken yet grabbed her arm, "I think she'd better stay here with us. I don't think you have any business being with a woman like her. Now get on outta here, ya freak! Go back to whatever planet you came from!"

Rose tried to yank her arm away, but he tightened his grip and she cried out in pain. "Let go of me!" she dropped her grip on Dende's waist to claw at the man's hand, but he merely laughed at her and pulled her closer.

Dende felt an anger rise up in him that he had never felt before. How dare this man even lay one finger on Rose. He stepped closer, feeling his power rising and quicker than lightning shot his hand out to grasp at the man's wrist that was holding onto Rose and squeezed, his nails digging into the mans flesh easily. His eyes were flashedwith a dangerous gleam to them, "If you don't let go of her, I'm going to do something in front of the lady I am going to regret." He looked at her seeing the pain on her face, disbelieving that anyone could cause such a gentle creature harm, "You let her go now or I will make you."

The man released Rose's arm and she fell back hard against the pavement. The man who had stepped in front of Dende now jumped on his back, trying to wrestle him to the ground.

"DENDE!" Rose screamed as the two men attacked.

"What the fuck are you, anyway?" shouted the man who had grabbed Rose and he swung his free arm at Dende, trying to land a punch to his face, but missed. "Let go of me, ya sonuvabitch!"

Rose scrambled in her purse, looking for something, anything, to chase these men off. Where had that keychain with the pepperspray on it gone? In her panic, she couldn't find it.

The man cried out as Dende forced him to the ground, his arm twisted back in such an awkward way. The guy who had grabbed Dende around the neck kicked the back of Dende's knee, causing his leg to give on him.

Dende fell forward and twisting the arm of the man in his grasp even further. He growled, "I'm so sorry Rose!" He roared as he powered up, his own energy throwing back his attackers away and he stood up, "You will not INSULT HER!"

Rose scrambled backwards across the sidewalk as the man who had a hold of Dende's neck actually flew backwards and landed hard on the sidewalk without Dende hardly moving at all. She stared up at him in surprise. She'd never seen Dende angry before and it frightened her. He'd always been so calm, so polite and gentle. She didn't know what to think of this, yet at the same time she was glad that he was able to protect them both from these men.

The man's head hit the sidewalk with a sickening smack. He went still and didn't get back up. The man whose arm had been twisted back rolled over, staring in shock up at Dende. "The fuck are you?!" he repeated, trying to crawl backwards away from the Namek.

Dende stood up and turned, heading immediately towards the man who had been thrown from his back. "Now see what you've gone and done?" He knelt down to the ground, his hands glowing a soft gold as he ran them over the man's head for a moment. He sighed and finally stood up, seeing the man starting to groan and twitch, "Your friend is going to have a serious headache when he wakes up. I suggest you get him home unless you would like to join him on the pavement." He took a breath and powered down, turning to Rose and going towards her. He offered his hand to her, "Are you hurt?"

She took his hand and let him pull her to her feet, casting a wary eye at the two men who were heading away, grumbling to themselves over their injuries. "Dende, are you okay?" she asked in a worried voice. "I... I was so scared. I didn't know what to do." Her hands shook and her eyes welled with tears that she fought to not let fall. Her wrist was throbbing, but she ignored it, far more concerned with his well-being than her own.

Dende carefully took her wrist in his hands, healing her, "I am sorry I had to do that in front of you." He lowered his head, kissing her knuckles, "Forgive me, I know you abhor violence ."

Rose's heart fluttered at his soft touch and her knees went weak when his lips touched her hand. "It's okay," she said softly. "I'm sorry for what they said. For the things they called you." She had to swallow to keep her voice from cracking. It broke her heart to hear someone judge him just by the way he looked. And she had been so worried that he was going to get hurt. "Are you okay?" she asked again.

Dende smiled at her and cupped her cheek, "Yes, I am fine." He tucked her hand into his arms, "Where were we before they happened?" He laughed, "It's not the first time I've been called terrible names. It is what happens when you are different. It doesn't make any difference. The difference is that I know that I am better."

She smiled at him and nodded, giving him a big hug. "You ARE better," she said softly in his ear. She gave him another squeeze before she stepped back and wiped at her eyes. She picked up her purse off the ground, shakily placing it over her shoulder again. She slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow and squeezed it gently. "Thank you, again, Dende, for coming to my rescue," she said. "Will there ever be a time when I don't owe you for helping me?"

Dende chuckled and placed his hand over hers and continued down their original path, "Everyone needs someone out there looking out for them. Though, I have to say, that's the first time I've defended someone's honor. How did I do?"

He thought on it as he said the words, the scuffle turning over and over in his mind. He had felt so angry, so protective of Rose. Nevermind what was said to him, it was her he cared about more and seeing that man grab her and pull her to him. The way he looked at her like he was ripping her clothes off with his eyes. It made his blood boil.

"You did good," Rose answered. She really hated violence, but Dende had only used it as a last resort in order to protect her and himself. Those creeps were the ones who had started it and they deserved everything they got and probably more. Yes, they definitely deserved more for what they had done and the things they'd said to Dende. Judging him on his appearance. What did that matter? They didn't know the kind soul he was underneath. They judged and attacked him based on the color of his skin alone. And even then, Dende still healed the man who had tried to hurt him. Most people probably wouldn't even bother to check on someone who had just attacked them, much less try to help that person. Yet Dende had done it without a second thought. "You have to be the kindest person I've ever met," she said.

Dende chuckled, smiling at her, "Have you met yourself? Rose, meet Rose, the kindest human you've ever met. Don't sell yourself short. You are a remarkable person. I only wish everyone were more like you, the world would be a better place." And he meant it. If everyone had the same ideals that Rose held, violence would be a thing of the past. Not be mistaken for fighting with good intentions. A friendly spar now and then had to be permissible or Goku would be out of work entirely.

Rose blushed slightly and smiled. "Thank you, Dende." Gods, she could just spend every day like this with him, save the scuffle on the sidewalk. Just walking arm-in-arm, not having to go anywhere or do anything in particular. But she knew that she had work to do, she had just barely gotten caught up on her work lately after all those weeks of going without sleep. Just because she had a day off didn't mean that there weren't children out there still hurting, needing her. "Ah, it might get kind of boring if we were all the same, I suppose."

Dende nodded, "True, but the idea would be nice. Less pain in the world would do for me. Certainly make my job easier." He smiled at her, "Why don't we enjoy the day. Hopefully, no more trash will get in our way, yes? And let me buy us some lunch when we mosey over to where ever. I don't know about you, but a hot bowl of soup and a grilled cheese sandwich would be perfect for this cold day."

Rose smiled and nodded, squeezing his arm just a bit tighter. "Sounds wonderful."


	27. Runaway

Rose could barely see through the windshield, the rain pouring down in buckets as the wind whipped against the car, nearly knocking her off course. She'd gotten the phone call early that morning that Goten was missing. The police had been notified and were looking for the little boy, but so far no one had found any trace of him.

No one could figure it out. The doors to the house were still locked and dead-bolted, the window to his second-story bedroom was still shut. It was like he had just disappeared from the room. Rose remembered Goku's little disappearing trick and she wondered if Goten knew how to do it too, or if Goku had come to get Goten for some reason. While it was against the rules, she could smooth it over somehow. She just prayed that Goten was at the cabin and safe.

This weather was horrid and she couldn't stand the thought of that poor little boy being out in it. The weather was turning decidedly towards winter and the rain was starting to freeze as it hit her windshield. If Goten wasn't somewhere warm, there was no way he could survive outside in this.

The cabin looked warm and inviting as Rose approached it. Smoke curled from the chimney and a warm light glowed in the windows. She parked in the yard and ran up the steps, shivering as the icy rain drenched her in an instant and she pounded on the door, anxious to get out of the storm and find Goten.

Goku put down the coffee cup he had been nursing, looking over at Sabriena who was still hiding under the covers of the bed, Tien relaxing with her, trying to comfort her. He felt the energy and recognized it as Rose, which alarmed him, why on earth would she drive all the way out here in this mess? He went and opened the door, seeing her soaked, "Hurry! Come in." He pushed the door closed behind her, "Oh wow! Raining cats and dogs out there on you, huh?" He went over to the wardrobe and fished out a fresh towel for her, "What's wrong? Is everything alright?"

Rose sniffled and took the towel from him, setting her glasses on the table before she wiped at her face and her hair. "Is Goten here?" she asked, looking around the cabin. Her heart plummeted into her stomach when she realized he wasn't there.

Tien sat up quickly, looking over at the caseworker. "Goten? No. Why?" he asked, a sudden worry filling his chest. Shouldn't she know exactly where Goten was?

"He went missing last night," Rose said, a panic rising up in her. "I came out here to let you know that we're searching for him, but we haven't been able to find him yet. I thought maybe he came here or that you went to get him for some reason." Her throat constricted, her hands starting to shake. "I'm going to have to get back to town, see if I can help them find him! If he's outside in this storm..."

Goku's eyes widened and a panic settled in his chest, "He ran away?! He's outside somewhere in this? Stay here Rose." He raised his fingers to his forehead, closing his eyes and searching, searching out for his son's energy, "How did he get out? Why would he run away." He felt a breath of air escape him as he felt his son's energy. It wasn't far, but far enough, "Found him! Gods, how did he get all the way out here?!"

Sabriena scrambled to get out of bed, crawling over Tien, making him cry out with an "Umph!" as her knee dug into his stomach. "Go get him!" she cried, tears brimming in her eyes at the thought of him out in this terrifying storm. An ear-splitting crack of thunder sounded and Sabriena gave a little scream, flinching and covering her head with her arms. "Goku, hurry!" she pleaded.

"I won't go anywhere," Rose promised. "Just get Goten!"

Goku nodded and focused on his son's energy, vanished and reappearing outside in the cold wet rain, he was soaked in seconds and frozen to the bone in a few more. He didn't recognize the area and he looked around in the thick woods before he spotted his son, huddled up at the base of a tree. He was shivering, his clothes torn, covered in mud as if he had slipped and fell, "GOTEN!" He cried out as a loud crack of thunder sounded overhead, making the very air shake. He hurried forward gathering his son in his arms, "Oh my god, Goten! Are you alright?!"

"Daddy!" Goten cried in relief, throwing his arms around his father's neck. He sobbed and shivered in his dad's warm embrace. "I'm scared, Daddy!" he bawled. He hated that foster home and had decided in the middle of the night that all he wanted was to be with his Dad and Sabriena and Tien. "I... I wanted t-to c-c-c..." he was shivering so hard that he couldn't even finish his sentence and he sneezed, leaning hard into his dad's neck. It was so cold out in the woods.

Goku shushed him, "Hold on, kiddo, let's get out of this storm." He closed his eyes as he pressed his fingers to his forehead, concentrating on the energies back at the cabin and managed to appear right in the middle of the floor in the warm little house. His little boy was freezing cold and soaked to the bone, "Hang on, let's get you next to the fire. Can someone get me a towel?" He caught the one Tien tossed at him and wrapped his son up in it, rubbing at his hair, "Shhhh, you're okay now, we got you."

"Oh my god, Goten," Rose breathed, but Sabriena roughly shoved past her and hurried over to the little boy, looking him over. She was horrified that he'd been out in this storm, in the cold, possibly all night long.

"Baby, what were you doing? Why would you run away?" Sabriena demanded, staring harshly into his eyes as Goku rubbed at his hair. "Oh, you're all dirty and wet and cold," she fussed.

Tien was furious. How could these foster-parents be so careless to let him get away from them like that? His hands clenched into fists. He still didn't trust this process and once again thought to himself that they should've just taken Goten from the start and been done with it.

Goten shivered, letting his daddy rub at his hair, tears welling up in his eyes at the slew of questions, "I...I just... I wanted to be with you guys... I don't like that place. There are too many other kids and they never feed me enough. They say I eat too much and only give me a little bit for my meals." He sniffled and rubbed his wet sleeve on his eyes.

Goku was horrified, "They aren't feeding you?" He felt his own tears welling up in his eyes. If only he had seen this coming. If only he had seen what Chichi had been doing to his own son, "I'm so sorry Goten. It's all my fault." He tugged his sons shirt off, wincing at the scars that were appearing. He put the little torn shirt off to the side and wrapped the towel around him before he helped him step out of his pants and rubbed him over with the towel, "Did you try to use my technique to get here?" He asked softly and Goten nodded, "Are you mad at me?" Goku shook his head, "Never. I could never be mad at you. I just want you safe." He heard his son's stomach grumble and he hugged him tightly, "I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry."

Tien felt sick when he saw Goten's body. The poor kid looked way too skinny and the scars on his back were one of the most disturbing things he'd ever seen. He pressed his lips to a thin line and shot a hateful look at Rose. "This is what you call putting him in a safe home?!" he demanded.

Rose looked horrified and she cringed at Tien's shout. "This... this isn't right," she stammered. She went over and knelt next to the little boy. "Goten, I'm going to find a better place for you to stay," she promised. "I swear it. And I'm going to report that family." She stood back up and grabbed her cell phone to call her supervisor.

Tien huffed through his nose and shook his head. "Sabriena, fix that boy something to eat," he said sternly as he grabbed some water to heat over the fireplace. "Let's get him cleaned up, Goku." He was seeing red as he worked, a muscle ticking in his jaw. He had to press his power level down. It was rising as fast as his temper and he didn't know how much longer he could hold his tongue.

Sabriena pressed a kiss to Goten's dirty forehead before she started rushing around the cabin, starting to fix a big meal for him. Goten didn't deserve this. He needed to be at the cabin with them where he was safe and warm and fed. The whole point of him going to the foster home was so that he would be kept safe. And now he was going hungry? So hungry that he felt he needed to sneak out to try to get away from that place. Sabriena angrily banged a skillet onto the fireplace and shook her head.

Goku nodded, smiling at Sabriena as she set to work. He knew his son had started growing on her, and he was more than happy to see her embracing him, willing to defend him. Hell, if it hadn't been for her, he would have never figured it out what was happening to him under his nose. He moved over to the wardrobe, taking out Tien's bearskin cloak and set the fur on the ground close to the fire, halfway listening to Rose talk on the phone. He got a couple of wash cloths and handed one to Tien and together they started cleaning up Goten and washed away the mud.

Sabriena fished around in the wardrobe and withdrew one of her old, plain T-shirts. "Here," she said, handing it to Goku. "It might be a little big on him, but it's the best we have out here. I'm gonna have to go shopping for him." Another bright flash of lightning lit up the cabin, followed by a booming crack of thunder and she gave another squeak and hurried back to her cooking, trying to distract herself.

Tien helped get Goten clean and dried, then helped him into the shirt. Poor Goten looked miserable as he shivered near the fire, dark circles under his eyes, his stomach growling as he sniffled. "It's okay, little man," Tien soothed, rubbing at Goten's hair. "You're safe now. And Sabriena's fixing you a big lunch, okay?"

Goten nodded and looked up at Sabriena as she cooked. He leaned back against his dad, who wrapped his arms around him. Goku was miserable, seeing his son like this, "I don't know if I can let you go this time buddy." Goten looked up at his dad, big tears in his eyes, "I don't wanna go live with anyone else. I want to stay here with you! Please, Daddy! Don't make me go away again."

Tien felt sick and turned away from them. This whole situation was maddening. It was bad enough what Chichi had done to Goku, but for her to put their son in this situation was ridiculous and unnecessary.

Rose's angry voice caught his attention and he stood still, focusing on her words. "He is NOT going back there and I want them investigated!" she demanded. "You should see this child. He's half-starved!" She paused to listen to the voice on the other end of the line for a minute. "I don't care about what is or isn't government approved. This boy has special circumstances and needs! I TOLD you all that weeks ago! He's not like the other children, his metabolism is far too high. This is unacceptable! Oh, don't give me that!" She huffed, stomping her foot on the hardwood floor. "Fine then. I'll just take him home with me until I find a better foster family." She hung up her phone and slammed it into her purse, staring out the rain-washed window, chewing her lip. She'd never mouthed off at her supervisor like that before, but she was livid.

Goku blinked over at Rose, still holding his son, "You, you would take care of my son? Could he really stay with you?" He asked as he kissed the top of his son's head. He didnt want to give his son up again, he was half tempted to just keep him with them at the cabin, but the thought of Chichi going through something legal loophole to get him back, saying he kidnapped him. He couldn't do that at all. He wouldn't give that bitch a chance to harm their son again. And while he didn't like it he could trust Rose. He felt it. If she wanted to take care of his son, he would trust her to do it.

"Only for a day or two," Rose answered quietly. "I'm not even supposed to do that. But, well, they're not giving me much of a choice." She finally turned to face him, a sad, apologetic look on her face. "Goku, I'm so sorry. I didn't place him in that home, I hope you know that. We've never had a problem with that home before. But I'm going to personally find him a better place to stay until we get this all figured out."

"You'd better," Sabriena growled as she set the plates of food on the table.

Rose flinched and looked at the floor, feeling even more miserable in that moment.

"Sabriena," Tien said in a warning voice, even though he felt the same.

She gave her husband a fierce look before she turned to Goten and Goku. "Let's eat," she said, sitting down not in her own chair, but in the chair next to where Goten usually sat. She patted the seat of his chair. "C'mon, buddy."

Goten smiled widely and scrambled out of his father's lap to climb up into the chair next to her, looking at the heaping plate in front of him. His stomach growled loudly and moved to hug Sabriena tightly. "THANK YOU," he said, before he picked up his fork and started to inhale the food.

Goku stood up and sat in Sabriena's normal chair next to Tien, watching his son eat up for a moment. He wanted to make sure he got all the food he wanted before he had a bite. "Thank you, Sabriena," he said, smiling at her. He looked over to Rose, "How about he stays here until the storm passes? We can make sure he's had enough to eat and a good rest."

Rose nodded and moved to stand by the fireplace, hoping her own clothes would dry out a bit. She felt horrible. Here she was, trying to protect these children and now come to find out, the foster home was barely any better than the places she and her coworkers took them from. Was there no decency in the world anymore? She sat down in front of the fire, carefully avoiding the cloak laying there, and pulled her knees up to her chin, staring miserably into the flames as silent tears dripped down her cheeks.

"Rose, I made you some, too," Sabriena finally said as she refilled Goten's plate.

"Not hungry," Rose muttered, wrapping her arms around her shins. "Thanks anyway." She was grateful that Goten was safe from the storm, but how was she supposed to protect him from everything else? She was questioning everything she knew in that moment and she suddenly felt very, very alone.

Goku looked over at Rose, sparing another look at his son before he got up. He grabbed another dry towel and wrapped it around her shoulders before he moved to sit beside her, "It wasn't your fault, you know. We're just worried and upset about this whole situation. I don't understand it, but I know why its important that we do it this way. Please don't cry. We aren't mad at you, just this situation." Tears prickled at his eyes and his voice cracked, "I just want my son to stay here with us. I'm so tired."

"I'm mad at the situation, too," she said softly, grateful for the dry towel and the warm fire. "I didn't mean to get so upset. It's just, sometimes, I feel like I'm not doing much to help these kids no matter how hard I try." She shook her head and sighed. "I know you want him here with you, Goku. I'm trying. I keep going to Mrs. Son's house, popping in on her unexpectedly, but I can't catch her doing anything to prove that her home is unsuitable for Goten. I don't know what to do," she whispered, covering her face with her hands. "Go eat your lunch, Goku. Goten and I will stay until the storm's over. Don't let your food get cold."

Goku smiled at Rose and nodded before he went back over to the table, sitting next to Tien and watched his son eat a third heaping plate before he moved to eat his own food, "How about we curl up for a nap after we finish eating, kiddo?" He asked.

Goten nodded, his mouth full and cheeks bulging before he managed to swallow, "Yeah! I'm really tired." The warm food and the dry clothes were making him sleepy. By the time he finished his food, his eyes were starting to droop and he smiled over at Sabriena, "Thanks for the food. It was so good. Are you gonna lay down with us?"

Sabriena nodded as she chewed the last bite of her food and swallowed. "Sure, buddy." She cleared the table, then stretched her arms over her head, her back popping. "Tien, are you laying down, too?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No, I can't sleep right now," he answered. He was so upset with the situation, he didn't think he could sleep even if he tried.

"Okay, honey," she said and kissed his cheek before she turned to Goten. "Your choice - we can sleep by the fire or we can sleep in the bed."

Goten looked over at the warm cozy fire and looked back at Sabriena with pleading eyes, "Can we by the fire?" He smiled widely at her nod and grasped her hand with his little ones, leading her over, "Come on, Daddy!" He saw Rose sitting nearby looking miserable, "Did you want to take a nap too?" He curled up on his father's cloak as Goku settled behind him, tugging Sabriena down into his arms. Goten turned and curled up in Sabriena's embrace, resting his head on her arm and yawned. Goku looked over at Rose and patted the empty space next to him, "Plenty of room."

Rose's heart gave a jump at his invitation and she nearly accepted, but she shook her head at the last second. "I - I shouldn't," she stammered. She got to her feet, looking over at her big purse, seeing the new case file she had stashed there. "I have work I have to do. You all rest. It's fine." She went to the table, thinking ruefully to herself that if Sabriena hadn't been there, she would've jumped at the chance. 'He's married, he's married, he's married,' she chanted over and over to herself in her head.

Damn the luck.

Sabriena snuggled into Goten's hair, hugging him tightly. "Sleep now," she whispered to him. "You're safe here with me and your daddy and Tien." She glared hatefully at Rose, who was lost in her casework, and hugged Goten a little tighter. How incompetent did this woman have to be to let something like this happen? She slowly shook her head, her lips pressed together. "I'm with Tien," she whispered to Goku. "Let's just keep him. To hell with the rules."

Goku peered down at her, looking over her shoulder at his son, fast asleep. He kissed Sabriena's cheek sadly, "I'm tempted to agree with you. If we keep him until he's eighteen, they can't do anything, right?"

"I don't know," she answered. "You'd think so." She worried her lip between her teeth. But what kind of a life would that be for Goten? They could never risk going into the city again, he'd never get to have any friends when he was growing up, save for their family. He'd never get to go to school (she still thought it was stupid that Chichi homeschooled him, although now she knew why.) She turned to look over her shoulder at her husband. "Goku, I don't know what to do," she whispered softly, trying to make sure Rose didn't hear them. "Is it fair to him to hide him out here like that? I want to, but I just don't know. I don't know what to do. I feel useless."

He nuzzled at her ear, "I feel the same." He sighed and stared into the fire, his mind swimming, "I could teach him how to properly use the instant transmission. He could go and visit little Trunks, Paige and Alice. His brother. They wouldn't be able to keep him in one place, they wouldn't be able to come here with the intent to take him away. They wouldn't be able to find us."

Rose's spine went rigid as she overheard their conversation. No. No, no, no, no, no. They couldn't do that! She knew deep down that if they wanted to take Goten, they could and no one could stop them. If they did that, if they made good on their plans, oh gods. She spun around in her chair, her eyes pleading, "Goku, no! You can't do that!" Her throat felt tight and her hands shook again. "Please!"

Goku lifted his head, looking at Rose a moment before he laid back down, curling his arm tighter around his wife and son, "I have to think on it. I just want what's best for my son." He said.

Rose got out of her chair as tears welled up in her eyes. She could barely speak, the knot in her throat was so big. "Goku, if you do that, I could lose my job," she choked out. "I won't be able to help any more kids! Everything I've worked my whole life for will be ruined! Please, please, please! Don't do this! I'll find a better home for Goten, I promise." She wiped at her eyes, praying that he would understand. "I'm upset about what happened today, too. I know you want what's best for him. I want the same thing. Just please, please give me a chance to fix this!"

He hadn't thought about it like that, "Well, I didn't know your job would be on the line." He frowned and sighed, turning his face into Sabriena's hair. He was so miserable and he only wanted the best for his son. He didn't want his boy to go on half starved, "I suppose I will trust you, but if he runs away again…" He trailed off.

Rose was relieved and hurt at the same time. She thought Goku already trusted her, but now she had failed him. "Thank you," she whispered and returned to the table. She stared down at her work, but she couldn't see it. Her eyes were blurry with unshed tears and all she could think about was how to help Goten and fix this whole mess.

Sabriena snuggled back against Goku and heaved a sigh. "You have more patience than I do," she admitted to him, no longer bothering to keep her voice low. "I hope we're not making a mistake."


	28. Overworked

The storm lasted most of the afternoon and Goten slept soundly the entire time. Sabriena quickly dozed off as she curled around him and Rose felt bad when it was time to leave. Goten hugged Sabriena and Tien tightly before he went to Goku and threw his arms around his neck.

"I love you, Daddy," he said sleepily.

"I'll keep him safe, Goku," Rose said quietly. "I promise. I won't let you down again."

Rose wasn't quite sure what to expect when she and Goten got to her apartment. She'd never had a child stay with her before. She'd gone to his foster family's house and made him stay in the car while she collected his things there. His clothes, a stuffed animal, and a blanket was about all he had. She sneered at the host parents and spoke little to them, except to explain why she was there. She'd noticed the new padlock on the refrigerator. Ridiculous. As if that would've really kept Goten out anyway if he wasn't such a respectful child. These people were in big trouble, she was going to make sure of that.

She opened the door and let Goten into her home. "Sorry there's not much kid stuff here, kiddo," she apologized. She wished she had some toys or something for him to play with. She was painfully reminded of just exactly how boring she was as she looked around her apartment.

Goten hugged his teddy bear against him, looking around. His dad had told him to be good for Rose while he stayed at her place. He peered up at her. "That's alright, Miss Rose. I'll be alright. Can we cook together? Sabriena's been teaching me! And maybe if its alright, we can watch movies later?" He bowed his head, "You know, if its okay."

"We can watch movies, sure!" she grinned, but paused when he asked about cooking. "Uhhhh, Goten," she said nervously. "I don't know how to cook." She locked the door behind them and went to set his bag on the couch. "I mean, I guess if you know what you're doing, you can cook something. I don't really have anything here to cook. We can get something, though, if you want."

Dende stood in front of the door, puzzled, he had felt something not right in Rose's neck of the woods, she had been stressed for about two days now. And people were always telling him he needed to take time for himself. Even if that time was to check on a friend. Now that he was here, he understood why she was stressed, he was positive that he felt Goten's energy and feelings behind the door. He knocked on it carefully.

Goten looked at Rose with an wide eyed look. "Well, we can try to make pizza. Sabriena showed me how to make that! Its really good! We can make it a non-meateater thing for you!"

Rose laughed and ruffled Goten's hair. "Sure, kiddo, that sounds great!" She jumped when she heard the knock on the door and went to it, wondering who in the world could be there. She peeked through the peep-hole, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw a flash of green. Her first thought was that it was Goten's foster family somehow come to throw a fit or her supervisor or who knows what. Her mind and her nerves were shot.

"Hi, Dende," she smiled as she opened the door. "What are you doing here?"

Dende chuckled, "Well, I was in the neighborhood." He peered around her and waved at Goten.

"Dende!" he cried and ran forward, jumping into the Namek's arms and hugging him tightly.

Dende hugged him back and looked at Rose as he stepped into the apartment, "I sensed something was wrong and thought you could use some help. Whatever it was. I was not expecting to find him here. Troubles with the foster family?" He rubbed Goten's little back.

Rose nodded sadly. "They aren't feeding him enough," she said, looking at the floor, feeling horrible all over again. "I didn't even realize it. He ran away and Goku found him out in the woods. I think he's really upset with me right now." She sighed and moved to let him more into the apartment, shutting the door behind her. "We were just talking about Goten teaching me to make pizza," she said. "Would you like to join us?" She hoped he'd say yes; she suddenly felt so much better now that he was there. She didn't understand how his presence could simultaneously make her feel comforted and make her heart race all at the same time.

Dende's eyes widened and he felt Goten's back again. His face paled as he could feel how scrawny he was compared to how he should have felt. "Oh my. Of course I'll stay and help." He swallowed harshly as he felt the scars beneath Goten's shirt. It was painful to hold onto him like this.

Goten wiggled with excitement, "Awesome! This is going to be so much fun! We can make so much pizza! And then we can watch a movie!" He squirmed out of Dende's embrace and hurried off towards the kitchen he saw.

Dende chuckled, "Enthusiastic, isn't he?" He walked with Rose towards the kitchen. "Are you in need of any supplies to make pizza?" he asked and looked at her, "And I imagine we will have to get something for the little carnivore. I would not mind running to the store."

Rose smiled as Goten went to the kitchen and looked through her cabinets. She couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculously happy expression on his face. "Kids are amazing, aren't they? Look how happy he is, even though he's been through so much." She blushed and turned to Dende, "I don't think I have anything he needs to cook a pizza. Are you sure you don't mind? That's awfully nice of you, Dende. I can pay for it," she said, grabbing her purse.

Dende shook his head, "Oh, no thank you. Bulma keeps giving me, for whatever reason, gift cards for 'birthdays' and holidays. I rarely have use for them. It will be my pleasure. Shall we all go together then? How about it, Goten? And perhaps some ice cream for dessert?" He winked at Rose, "My sweet tooth must insist that we do." He chuckled as Goten hurried over and nodded, jumping up and down.

"Oh! All right, then," Rose nodded, pulling her purse over her shoulder and offering Goten her hand. "Can't let Dende go without his ice cream," she teased, smiling at the Namek as they left the apartment.

Goten was practically skipping at her side as they walked to the little grocery around the corner. She let go of his hand once they were inside. "Okay, kiddo, lead the way," she said and then turned to Dende, "I have no idea what I'm doing. How much does a Saiyan kid eat? He scarfed down like five plates of pasta when we were at the cabin earlier. BIG plates of pasta."

Dende chuckled, "Good heavens, he must have been starving. They eat less than a full grown Saiyan, but that is a lot for him. They eat a lot, but did you say the foster family wasn't feeding him? Or feeding him what they think a human kid can eat?" Dende smiled at her as Goten led the way, pausing to grasp a cart and pushed it after the little chef, "If Goten hasn't been eating properly, we will probably need a second cart. How long is he staying? A few days? Yes, best grab another cart." He laughed at her surprised expression, "Especially if he is hungry! A Saiyans metabolism is much greater than that of a humans." He looked around and paused by the meat section to pick out a few things of hamburger. "I will take the liberty of preparing a few meals for him. What kid doesn't enjoy hamburger?"

Goten cheered, "Thank you, Mister Dende!" He looked over at Rose, "What kinds of veggies do you likes on your pizzas?!"

Rose tried very hard not to wrinkle her nose at the meat, but wasn't entirely sure she managed it. "Oh, I like just about anything," she said. "Whatever you think is good. I trust your judgment, little chef," she grinned. "I guess we'll need a pan and one of those, um, roll-y cutter things." She wondered how long she could get away with keeping Goten. She narrowed her eyes at Dende, realizing he'd been reading her mind again if he knew how long Goten was staying before she could even answer. She was going to have to keep her thoughts quiet and guarded. Maybe she should ask him to stop doing that, but she wasn't sure how to without sounding rude, especially when Dende was seriously saving her butt with offering to prepare some meals for Goten. "You don't have to do all of this," she said softly, feeling a bit guilty. "I can order out for him or something. Maybe I really should learn how to cook. I could fix dinner for you sometime, just the two of us." She paused and blushed, realizing she had practically asked him out. There she was again, letting her mouth just run away from her.

Dende chuckled and winked at her, "That sounds lovely. We will have to see what trouble we can get into." He chuckled as Goten started bringing back armfuls of vegetables.

"Oh goodness!" Rose laughed as Goten quickly filled the shopping cart. "I hope you two know what to do with all of this!" She pushed the cart along, letting Goten pile in as much food as he wanted. It surprised her. Most children would be begging for toys or candy, but he made healthy choices in his food and never once said a word about toys.

"He's certainly much more mature than most kids," she said. She couldn't help but wonder what kind of 'trouble' Dende had meant and she forced herself not to let her thoughts get too carried away with it. "Okay, is that everything?" she asked, looking at the two shopping carts full of groceries. "I don't know if we have enough room in my apartment for it all!"

Dende chuckled, "Don't worry. We will fix it all up so it will cook down and all you have to do is reheat it. Though, I think he will eat it all before you have to worry about that."

Goten blushed and rubbed the back of his head, "Well, Sabriena said I shouldn't eat too much junk food. I wanna be like my dad and be strong!" He smiled brightly at them, "Thank you for buying me food, Mister Dende."

The Namek smiled at him, "Any time Goten. You just let us know if you get hungry like this ever again. Okay?"

They bought the food and headed back to Rose's apartment, Goten thanking Dende over and over, rambling on and on about all the things he wanted to cook. Rose watched as Goten helped Dende unload all the groceries onto the counter and she stepped back, not sure of what she should do. She didn't want to get in the way. "I can put the ice cream away," she offered, grabbing it and sticking it in the freezer. "There we go! I did my part!"

Dende and Goten chuckled. Goten went over to Rose and grabbed her hand, leading her over to sit at the little bar window type thing, he wasn't sure what it was called. "You get to be our taster! Sit here!" He said before he hurried around and started helping Dende sort out through everything, "You can help us knead the dough!" he said excitedly, trying to think over everything that Sabriena had taught him about food. He briefly wondered if he could put her pasta on a pizza and it would taste amazing.

Dende grilled up the hamburger into patties and put them away for burgers at a later time. They quickly began chopping up vegetables for the pizza. Goten was standing on a chair stirring the sauce he put together. Things he remembered from Sabriena's lessons. He took out the wooden spoon and offered it to Rose.

"Oh!" Rose blinked as he offered her the spoon. She touched the tip of her finger to the sauce and popped the digit in her mouth, her eyes going wide at the taste. She hadn't been sure what to expect from a seven-year-old cook. "Wow, Goten!" she cried. "That's delicious! Wow..." She gave him an ornery smile and swiped more of the sauce from the spoon with her finger and sucked it again. She blinked at Dende, her cheeks hollowed and she let her finger pop from her mouth. "Have you tasted it? He really knows what he's doing! I'm impressed!"

Why did she keep doing that? And she looked so sweet and innocent at the same time. Dende's cheeks flushed purple and he quickly looked to the spoon and tasted it. His eyes widened and he smiled at the little Saiyan, "Goten, this is fantastic. You have a real gift for this. How many times did Sabriena show you how to make this?"

Goten smiled widely, "Just once! I want her to show me more. She's like, the bestest cook ever!" He said excitedly, suddenly wishing he could share this with his dad and Sabriena.

Dende picked up on it and smiled, ruffling the little ones hair, "Hey, think of this as practice. Once you are able to go back and stay with your dad, think of all the wonderful meals you can learn to cook and show them how much you've come along." He smiled as Goten nodded and turned back to cooking with gusto.

They cooked all afternoon until they had five or six pizzas, taking care to make sure they left one vegetarian for Rose. Goten piled his plate high with food and wandered over to the couch. Dende followed with a slice of his own and sat down, "You know what movie we should watch Goten? You will really like it. It's called Ratatouille. Its one of Paige's favorites."

"I have it," Rose admitted, a slight blush touching her nose. "I like Disney movies. Don't judge me," she chuckled and grabbed the DVD. She settled back against the couch with her pizza, smiling to herself. Her apartment had never smelled so good. "I can't believe how much you guys fixed. Are you sure it isn't too much?" Goten nodded, his mouth already full of pizza, his eyes glued to the TV. Rose snickered and shook her head, taking the first bite. Good gods, that was easily the best pizza she had ever tasted in her life. "Oh my gosh!" she cried as she chewed. "Goten, this is so good! No wonder you made so much."

Goten swallowed and laughed, "Thank you Miss Rose, for letting me cook! And thank you Dende for helping me and helping me clean up!" His legs dangled off the couch and he ate more. He was so happy Sabriena taught him to cook. His mother said he was too little and clumsy like his father to cook. He would break everything. But he was super careful and it was awesome the things he was discovering he could do. "I think I could spend the whole day in the kitchen cooking! My only problem is I'll eat everything!"

"No, you won't," Rose corrected him. "Because I'll be in there stealing all your cooking!" She took another huge bite of pizza, finding herself suddenly starving. This was fun. She wished she could just keep Goten while this whole thing went on, but she knew her supervisor would never approve it. Conflict of interests or some such thing. She frowned a bit as her thoughts went back to her work, knowing that first thing in the morning she was going to have to start making phone calls, trying to find the right foster home for Goten. She couldn't understand how this had happened. He was such an amazing little boy. How anyone could ever want to harm him was beyond her. She rubbed at his back, trying to smile for him again. "Thank you for dinner, Goten."

Goten beamed up at her, glad that she and Dende enjoyed the pizza he made. After two big meals that day, he felt warm and sleepy. He was safe here with Rose and Dende. He loved the movie with the little rat who had such a passion for cooking. He smiled and giggled throughout the whole film, fighting to stay awake. When the movie was over, he grabbed his bag of clothes and told Miss Rose that he wanted to change into his pajamas, then let her show him to the bathroom.

Rose turned to Dende and gave him a small smile. "And just when I thought we were even, you turn around and do something wonderful for me again," she said. "Thank you so much for tonight, Dende." She reached out and gently took his hand, entwining her fingers with his, and pulled him closer so that she could lean against his chest. Her eyes fell closed as she breathed in the quiet comfort of his presence. "I have to figure out how to make this right," she whispered. "I have to find a safe place for Goten to stay. I feel like everything's falling apart around me. The home I thought he was safe in wouldn't even feed him enough. Now Goku and his wife and husband are upset with me. I defied my supervisor at work. I know everyone expects me to fix this overnight, but these things don't work that way. I want to help Goku. I want to get his son back to him. But he's not the only case I have to work on."

Dende nodded, "Well, I think everyone was just ready to be done with everything. Wanting a peaceful moment to last forever. What parent doesn't want this to be over first?" He sighed and held her against him, "How many other cases are you working on? Three? Four?"

Rose gave a weak laugh. "Oh, I wish," she muttered. She pulled back a bit and looked up at him. "Dende, I have twenty-six cases I'm working on right now. Last year, I handled over five hundred cases of child abuse. Not all of them were substantiated, but still, every time there's an accusation, we have to do an investigation. And the ones that are false just take away time from the children who do need help. And each of my coworkers has the same workload. Every single day we get more and more calls about children who need our help and there's not nearly enough of us to handle it."

Dende's eyes widened, "Twenty-six? Why on earth didn't you say something? I'm sure if Goku knew that, he wouldn't have been so hard on you. Over five hundred cases," he rubbed at his eyes. That was a lot for any human to have on their plate at one time. Who knew what kind of damage that did on an emotional level? No wonder her not sleeping for a week had done so much damage, "Do you need to talk about any of it?"

She sighed and shrugged. It would be nice to get some of the stress off of her chest, but she didn't want to weigh Dende down with her problems. He had a lot on his plate as it was, too. "It's okay," she said softly. "Just having you here as my friend makes it better. I just," she paused and sighed again. "I just don't want to lose myself, you know? Sometimes I feel like I already have. I see the people I work with, how burned out they are. I don't want to become that. But I can't stop. I can't let these kids go on without the help they need."

His brow furrowed in worry and he nodded, "I can imagine they have seen a lot, and no doubt that you have as well. Just be careful Rose, there comes a point of no return. If you don't have someone to share that burden with, it will be a hard fall. Confide in someone, keep a diary..." He paused, realizing he was just blabbering off, "Whatever you feel is right, just don't think of yourself, your problems as a burden."

She gave him a small smile and nodded. "I have a journal I write in," she admitted. "That notebook I keep? I kind of sort out my thoughts that way." She turned as the bathroom door opened and a very sleepy-looking Goten wandered out. She smiled and turned to him, crouching down next to him. "Are you ready to go to sleep?" she asked softly. At his nod, she took his hand and led him to her bedroom. "Here we go," she said and tucked him in. "If you need me, I'll be in the living room, okay?"

Dende smiled at Rose as he heard them exchange good nights and he looked to her as she came back out, "If you didn't have such a full plate, you would make a great mother." He sighed, "Though, I imagine that you feel like a mother already, picking up the shattered pieces behind all of these people who only think they know what is best." He hated to think, to ask the question that what if it did become too much? Who would be the one to pick up the broken pieces of herself?

* * *

**Author's** **Note: **I just wanted to let everyone know that the numbers Rose mentions here are not exaggerated. I did a bit of research and the number of cases these people handle is staggering. In one city, in one year, there were over forty-thousand cases of child abuse reported. It's insane.


	29. This Christmas

Rose sat at her kitchen bar, tapping the end of her pencil against the papers in front of her. It was already dark outside, despite the fact that it was early in the evening. The Christmas party at Capsule Corp would be starting soon. She couldn't believe it was Christmas time already. The weeks had flown by, it seemed. Goten was placed in a new foster home that Rose inspected herself before she let him go there. They were a young couple who were unable to have children of their own and Goten was the only child there. Rose had explained to them his situation and his unique needs. After some careful consideration, the couple agreed that they could provide for the little boy. Rose kept a closer eye on him as much as she could and she was pleased to see that he had quickly put back on the weight he'd lost.

After finding a home for Goten, Rose went and had a long talk with Goku. She wasn't looking for sympathy, but she needed him to understand how many children needed her help. Goten was safe now and she promised to reunite them as quickly as she could, but he had to understand that she needed more time. If she didn't have solid evidence that Chichi was Goten's abuser, the judge would send him back to live with her. In fact, the way it stood now, his house looked to be less safe for Goten than Chichi's house did. She was relieved when Goku agreed to give her more time and said he had no idea that there were so many other children who needed her help. In all honesty, Goku had a hard time accepting the fact that there were so many children being abused. In his mind, Chichi was a rare case and it bothered him to learn otherwise. But Goten was safe for sure now and he was okay with the situation for the time being. He wanted Rose to do it right and now that he understood the process a little more, he had every confidence in her that she would do what needed to be done.

She sighed as she stared out the frosty window. What was she doing? She had tons of work to do, yet she couldn't seem to focus. Her mind kept drifting back to the Christmas party, to Goku, to Dende, her only two friends in the world. They would both be there with their families. She sighed again, puffing her cheeks as she tapped the pencil harder. "Oh, why not?" she asked herself and threw the pencil on the counter. She gave herself a glance in the mirror. Her black suit with a pretty red blouse underneath. That was festive enough, she supposed. What else would people wear to a Christmas party? She didn't own a fancy cocktail dress or anything like that. She slipped on red high heels, the only thing she had that came close to being sexy (she'd been talked into them by the sales rep at the store) and pulled on her coat to head out into the cold night. It was several blocks to Capsule Corp, but not completely out of walking distance and she set off, wondering what in the world she was doing.

Dende was the one closest to the door, who could actually hear the timid rap on the wood. He watched on as Paige was going around proudly, handing out little gifts she had "made" and wrapped herself. The bows and paper wrapped awkwardly, but still with so much love. He chuckled and stood up from his spot on the couch and went to the door. When he opened it, he couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face, "Rose! You made it! Come in, come in! It must be freezing out there."

Goku turned from his spot on one of the couches with Tien and Sabriena, smiling widely, "Rose! You're here! Just in time too!"

"Hi everyone," she smiled, stomping the snow from her heels on the threshold before she stepped inside. Goodness, there were a lot of people here. Some of them she recognized. She pulled off her coat and hung it on the coat rack, then followed Dende further into the room. She smiled when she saw little Paige handing out the presents. Her eyes went wide and she pressed her hands to her face, "Oh no! I didn't even think to get anyone gifts! I'm sorry!" Her already pink cheeks went redder.

Dende chuckled and pulled a chair out for her near the fireplace where he had been sitting, "Relax, We're just happy you were able to make it. Trust me, there are plenty of gifts here tonight. Bulma and Sabriena are fiends when it comes to shopping." He smiled warmly at her. "Can I get you something to drink? Bulma likes to keep plenty on hand on account of the 'bottomless pits'," he chuckled.

Rose sat down, crossing one leg over the other,and nervously placed her hands in her lap. "Uh, sure, thank you," she accepted with a nod. She decided it was best to sit quietly and try to avoid too much conversation. She didn't want to stick her foot in her mouth again like she was so prone to doing. She caught Goku's eye and gave him a small smile. The crackling fire warmed her, the smell of the burning wood was light in the air. It all felt so cozy with the beautifully decorated room, the huge Christmas tree. Goodness, she hadn't expected this many people to be here. She caught sight of Vegeta and Tora and instantly realized they were Saiyans just like Goku. Both of them had tails curled around their waists, just like Goku's grandson. She felt that dizzy feeling in her brain again, she still didn't know what to make of all of this. She wondered if they ate as much as Goku and Goten did and she realized that dinner that evening was going to be interesting.

"So what are you doing for Christmas, Rose?" Sabriena asked loudly, interrupting her thought process.

Rose accepted the drink from Dende as he handed it to her, "Oh, I don't know yet. I usually spend it with my parents, but they're going to be out of town, so..." Her voice trailed off and she shrugged, taking a sip of the wine Dende had given her.

Dende sat back down, choosing a seat closer to Rose. He didn't want her to think he was going to ignore her after he invited her to the party. He smiled at her, "You should think about joining one of us for the holiday."

Goku lit up and nodded, "Oh yeah! Gohan and Lindsey are having a big to-do at their house on Christmas. You should come with us! Sabriena and Lindsey together are a force to be reckoned with in the kitchen! It's amazing!"

Lindsey preened, "We try." She winked at Sabriena.

"Pshhhhh. I do all the work and you take the credit for it."

"Tien, slap her for me," Lindsey ordered, turning away from Sabriena and sipping her soda. "I'd do it myself, but she's not worth the effort to get up right now."

Tien snickered and shook his head and Sabriena glared at him, "Don't. Even. THINK. About it."

"Girls behave or I'll separate you two," Bulma warned, sitting on the arm of Vegeta's chair.

Rose tried not to snicker at them. "Thanks for the invite," Rose said to Goku, "I'll have to see. I might have to work."

Vegeta had his arms crossed, but his tail had easily reached up and curled around Bulma's waist, lightly twitching as though he were content. This was the first he'd seen of the caseworker and he was half tempted to corner her and threaten her into getting Goten back to Goku, but then he thought better of it. Bulma would kill him if his abrasive nature screwed this up somehow. He sighed through his nose and curled his tail tighter around his mate's waist. This "being patient" thing was a bitch.

Goku grinned, "I'll just pop over and kidnap you for dinner. A few hours won't hurt." He looked back down at Phoenix in his arms, snuggling with the baby.

Paige made her way over to Vegeta and Bulma, pulling out two small gifts and balanced them on Vegetas leg, "Papaw! Papaw gift!" She giggled as Bulma reached down and picked them up, cooing as she thanked the little Namek. Paige grinned widely and wandered over to Dende and Rose, dragging her little Santa bag behind her pulling out two more gifts and offering them to each of them.

Rose smiled as she took the gift from the little girl. "Thank you," she said. She turned to Dende and smiled. "She's so cute!" she said to him in a loud whisper. She watched as everyone began to open their presents and she tore into hers. It was a simple clay ornament with Paige's little handprint in the middle, tied with a ribbon on top to hang on a Christmas tree. "Awww!" Rose beamed, "Thank you, Paige!" She looked over at Dende . He had unwrapped a long necklace of macaroni noodles and beads, roughly colored with marker and glued-on glitter. "Oh, you have to wear that," she grinned and reached to take it from him. "Here, let me help." She held the necklace between her hands and Dende lowered his head slightly towards her, smiling at Paige. Rose lowered the necklace over his head, the palm of her hand running over one of his antenna as she did so. "There! Beautiful," she giggled.

Dende had to stifle the gasp that worked it way out of his throat, managing a cough as his body seized up. Oh by the gods. He he felt a heated blush flash across his cheeks as his length hardened. He looked back up at her and tried to offer a smile, "Than… thank you, Rose." Gods, he wanted her to do that again. He coughed and looked down at the necklace to hide his blush.

Jenny was snickering over in the corner where she was sat, holding Alice. She had looked up at just the right moment. Now that was interesting.

"Dende, are you okay?" Rose asked as he coughed. She placed a concerned hand on his back, rubbing him between his shoulder blades. "Do you need a drink?" She offered her glass of wine to him, looking up as Jenny snickered. Rose tried to give her a questioning look, but Jenny had looked back down to the little girl in her arms.

Dende accepted the wine and took a sip before he sat up straighter and smiled at her, "Yes. Of course I am. Sorry I made you worry." He looked down at the necklace and smiled at it, "Just had something in my throat." He looked at her cautiously. He didn't want to make her worry. She was so proper and would die of embarrassment if she knew. She almost died of embarrassment that day she had accidentally touched Goku's scar, not knowing what it meant.

Rose placed her hand back in her lap and looked at the ornament again. It would look so cute on her little tree at home. Goku's laughter drew her attention. He, too, had a macaroni necklace around his neck and the baby he was holding had grabbed onto it, trying to nom on the colored beads.

Paige was yelling, "No! Feee-nix! No!"

Lindsey came to Goku's rescue and disentangled the necklace from the baby's fingers and handed him a teething ring, which he happily gnawed on. She sat back down on the floor with her husband near Goku's side.

Piccolo and Jenny were sitting together, Jenny cuddling Alice. Little Trunks and Marron were showing their parents the gifts Paige had given them.

Rose placed her elbow on her knee and rested her chin in her hand and smiled. "It's nice to see these families so happy together," she said softly.

Dende smiled at her, "I'm glad you were able to get away. It's nice to see the happiness in life, isn't it? Instead of looking at the bad all the time. It's good to have the reminder that not all parents are evil beings. It could make a person sick from the inside out." He touched the necklace he had around his neck. He could feel a warmth radiating from it. The night was young, there was still diner to be eaten, songs to be sung. More presents to be opened. He relaxed back into his chair and smiled as he looked around the room.

A smile pulled at Rose's lips. "It is nice." It was refreshing to be reminded that there were families who loved one another and took care of their children. And while many of the people in the room seemed intimidating, she felt no fear being around them. They were good people; they were just different.

Mrs. Briefs entered the living room and announced that dinner was served.

Trunks jumped to his feet, pushing past Gohan, "Race ya!"

* * *

The Christmas party was wonderful. Rose spent the evening visiting with Goku's friends, most of whom were friendly and all of them interesting. Dinner was delicious and watching the children unwrap presents was a lot of fun for her. Seeing the children happy and safe with their families. It warmed her heart, reminding her that there were still good parents in this world. She stayed close to Dende and Goku throughout the night, still feeling a bit shy, and tried not to talk too much for fear of saying or doing something stupid.

The evening was drawing to a close and Rose finally stood to head for the door, thanking them for having her. "I really should head home," she said. "Have a Merry Christmas everyone!" she smiled and headed for the door, carefully stepping around the new toys the children had littered all over the floor.

Dende tried to hide the frown on his face, was it really time to say goodbye? He moved to the door as well, "It's late. Please, let me walk you home, make sure you get there safely." He smiled at her and reached for his cloak, pulling it on around his shoulders, turning and thanking Bulma for the wonderful evening, another party well done. He smiled around at everyone, still sipping cups of eggnog, watching the little ones playing on the floor.

Jenny was over in a corner talking with Vegeta, baby Alice asleep in her hands. Lindsey and Catie were talking with Trunks. Something about braiding his hair with holly sprigs and mistletoe. There was a gentle sound of christmas music playing softly in the background underneath of it all. He turned and took Rose's coat off of the rack and held it open for her.

"Uh oh!" Sabriena suddenly cried, pointing at Rose and Dende, "Look who's under the mistletoe!"

Rose gasped and looked up. Sure enough, hanging above their heads was a bundle of fresh sprigs, tied together with a pretty red ribbon. She felt her face go hot and she adjusted her glasses nervously.

Jenny looked over and laughed, "Go on! It's a Christmas tradition!"

Rose felt as if all eyes were on her and she fidgeted with her hair. Oh, what a silly tradition, putting people on the spot like that. She blinked at Dende, her eyes questioning. Would he even want to kiss her? Her heart hammered in her chest.

"Oh, come on you two," Gohan laughed, shooting Dende a wink. He'd clearly had a bit too much wine that evening and Lindsey shook her head at him.

Dende chuckled as he shook his head. He looked back at Rose and saw her blush, turning red from head to toe. He had butterflies inside his stomach, why was he nervous? It was just a little kiss. He offered her one of his charming smiles and leaned in to press a quick peck onto her lips. He had planned on withdrawing, but stopped short as he pulled away. Their lips hairs breath apart felt like nothing he'd ever felt before. He wanted to do it again, to press his lips back to her soft ones and thread his fingers through her hair. There was something so right about it. He felt a blush creeping over his cheeks, everyone was staring at them and he felt off balance. Like the world was trying to tell him something.

A thrill shot up Rose's spine at the feel of Dende's firm lips against her own, however brief it may have been. She wanted him to do that again. Longer. Oh, what was this bubbling feeling in her stomach? Her lips burned from his kiss, her blood on fire for him. She felt breathless. Her blue eyes were wide as she stared at him. Her head was spinning, she felt dizzy and giddy. Her first kiss. He probably didn't know that. She wasn't sure she wanted him to know that. "I, ahem, yes, thank you all for a lovely evening," she said again to the room. Her face felt so hot. "Okay, goodbye!" She turned and promptly exited through the front door, the cold air washing over her as she slammed it behind her. Dammit. She pulled the door open and snatched her coat from Dende's hands. "Coat," she said simply and shut the door once more, shuffling as quickly across the frosty sidewalk as her heels would allow her, trying to pull her coat on as she went.

Dende blinked at the door that closed in his face as he made to follow her. He heard the warm laughter behind him. No ill will toward her, but that was interesting. He chuckled and waved goodbye to everyone, opening the door and shutting it firmly behind him, "Rose, wait. Please, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I'm sorry."

He reached her quickly, as she was struggling to put her coat on. He caught her coat and straightened it out, "Here, please, let me help you. I didnt mean to embarrass you. I should have asked before I did that. I am sorry" He carefully wrapped her coat around her, "Those guys. Its easy to forget when we actually have guests over. Everyone is practically family as it is."

Rose zipped up her coat, barely registering his words. She turned towards him, running her hands through her hair, "Uncomfortable... embarrassed... What?" She blinked harshly at him, seeing the sorry look on his face. She didn't like that. She shook her head, trying to clear it. "You didn't make me uncomfortable Dende. Sorry. I was just flustered." Why did she have this overwhelming urge to kiss him again? She was so confused. She opened her mouth like she wanted to say something, but closed it. She pressed her lips together and swallowed, looking at the ground and finally found her voice. "I had a nice time tonight."

Dende restrained himself from reading her thoughts, her feelings. He had been trying to restrain himself in from doing so. If she had something she wished to say, then she would say so. He offered an arm out to him, maybe he shouldn't have kissed her. He felt that he wanted to do it again, but she must not have enjoyed it. She had practically ran from the house. From him, "Please allow me to make it up to you. Let me walk you home." He could see the park lights from here, "Want to take the long way? Might give you some time to become unflustered. Looks like they have decorated the park for the occasion too."

Rose swallowed again and nodded, a smile creeping over her face. "Sure," she nodded. "I'd like that." She slipped her hand into the crook of Dende's arm and they fell into step together, heading for the park. "Oh, it doesn't look like they've cleared the sidewalks off very well," she said nervously, gripping Dende's arm a little tighter.

The sidewalk looked slick and icy as they walked along, the bright strands of Christmas lights twinkling overhead in the trees. It looked much different than the last time they were here, when Dende had healed the duckling. The first time she'd played music for him. She'd nearly kissed him on accident then. She gave a nervous giggle, "Maybe high heels wasn't the best idea tonight. I'll try not to fall for you... ON you, I mean. Try not to fall ON you." Oh gods, she was doing it again. Even in the frosty air, she felt her face go hot once more.

Dende could feel his own feet slipping on the slick pavement and he was so concentrated on his footing, he'd missed what she said. He chuckled, "To be honest, I don't think it would have mattered even if you wore cleats. This is really dangerous." He gripped her arm tightly as he felt himself slip, one arm going around her. He pulled her close as the other shot out to try and keep himself from slipping down, "Whoa!" He laughed at the funny position he was in, "You know, back on my home planet, it doesn't really snow at all. Usually has one constant temperature all year round."

"That would be nice," Rose said in a strained voice, her arms flying around Dende, holding onto him, trying to keep their balance. It was no use. Her heels slid out from under her and her weight drug them both down on the sidewalk, her flat on her back, Dende slightly over the top of her. She cringed and grabbed the back of her head. "Ow," she laughed, staring up at the Christmas lights overhead. There was something so awkwardly hilarious about this, all she could do was laugh. "Are... are you okay?" she giggled, patting him on the back. A shiver ran up her spine that have very little to do with the cold air and more to do with the weight of his body on top of hers.

Dende braced himself above her, chuckling with her, really trying to not fall down on top of her. He looked at her and felt his heart stop. Her hair, wild around her face, the lights casing the most beautiful glow on her skin, making her blue eyes sparkle. He coughed and did his best to move off of her, feeling his blush growing, "I'm… I'm just fine. What about you? You didn't break anything did you?" He looked down at her feet, looking at her high-heels. "Goku would have my head if I let something happen to you!"

"The only thing I hurt was my pride," she groaned, moving to sit up. The sidewalk was cold under her hands. She laughed again. She carefully tried to get to her feet, but she slipped again, grabbing onto Dende's shoulders. "Oh no!" she laughed. She sunk to her knees, pressing her lips together, her eyes dancing with amusement. "Well, that's it. We're stuck here until spring."

Dende smiled at her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders tightly, "Close your eyes for a sec." He made sure they were shut before he brought out his energy and used it to make them hover in the air, not very high, just few feet off the pesky ice covered sidewalk. "Here we are. The zero walking tour of the Christmas light park. What do you think?" he asked as he slowly drifted them through the beautiful lights, icicles hanging down from various trees, reflecting the lights, the multicolored strands here and there, providing a splash of color in the otherwise silvery-white park . There was even a section where they had draped the lights overhead, on top of an archway. It was overall warming and still beautiful.

"Oh!" Rose gasped. She could handle this. She clung to Dende, staring at the beautiful lights as they drifted along. His strong arms held her securely; she never once questioned him. He wouldn't drop her. There was a contentment growing in her chest, she could've let him hold her like this forever. What was happening? Did he feel it, too? 'Shut up, Rose,' she scolded herself. Why did she have to constantly figure everything out? For once, she just wanted to enjoy the moment and not try to pick it apart and put it back together. "Oh Dende," she breathed, "This is amazing."

Dende felt his own breath catch in his throat. Her words, warm on his ear, warmed him in a way he couldn't explain. He didn't want this moment to end, floating slowing through the lights. He didn't know what to think. He peeked into her mind, trying to read what she was thinking about the kiss they'd shared, but her mind was on the beautiful lights and the wonder of floating through the air at the moment. He was a little disappointed. He wanted to know what she thought, why she'd been so flustered. But this, he could do this forever. Forget his responsibilities, just floating there with her. He loved the way her arms tightened around his shoulders. He caught a scent of her hair, the flowery shampoo she used. It was a little slice of heaven on earth. He was glad it was so cold. He could blame his blush on that. "It's wonderful."

The "walk" was over far too soon and they found themselves back at the entrance to the park. Dende carefully set her back on the clearer sidewalk and offered his arm, just as he always did. Rose couldn't help but smile. Perhaps chivalry wasn't dead. She slipped her hand into the crook of his arm and headed for her apartment. "I've always loved Christmas," Rose said. "I love the lights and the decorations and just spending time with family. Just that warm, fuzzy feeling you get. Do they have Christmas where you're from?"

Dende chuckled, "No, I'm afraid not. Christmas is more of an earth holiday. Religion and all that. We do have this one planet wide tradition, celebrating our peace and reminding us that we are a united people no matter the distance between us. We usually celebrate it by having big get togethers with friends and family. Cherishing what we have and who we are with, remembering those who have passed, celebrating those who have yet to come to us." He looked up at the sky, watching his breath condensate in the air, "Though I have to say, the cold weather took some getting used to. But it is nice to cozy up to a fire on a cold night."

"That sounds like a good holiday," she smiled. "We should celebrate it sometime." She tried to walk slower. The walk back to her apartment seemed to be going too fast. Rose shivered in the cold wind. "A fire sounds nice right about now." She could see her apartment building now. She didn't care how cold she was, she didn't want to go back up to that empty apartment by herself. But she'd spent so much time with Dende already this evening, she didn't want to wear out her welcome, either. Why couldn't she read his thoughts the way he read hers? Life would be a lot less complicated if she could do that.

Dende noticed her shivering, "You don't have a heavier coat?" He paused and shrugged off his outer robe and draped it around her shoulders. He smiled at her, "Don't you have a small little fireplace inside your apartment?" He looked up at her apartment buildings coming into view. The evening had gone by way too fast. He wondered if it would be too weird if he invited himself up. Watch a movie. Hot chocolate. No, he shouldn't. He had to get back to the Lookout.

"Oh, Dende! You don't have to do that," she protested, but his cloak certainly did block the wind. The wind caught the cloak; Rose got the slightest smell of it on the cold wind. It smelled light and freshly cleaned, there was a cool scent to it that could only be him. "Now you're going to be cold," she said, holding on tighter to his arm, rubbing her free hand up and down his bicep as if trying to warm him. "I do have a fireplace, but I've never used it," she admitted. "I don't know how to start a fire."

Dende laughed, "I've got a high tolerance for the weather. And if you think you could stand my company a bit longer, I think I could figure out how that fireplace works if you like?" He felt giddy. He didn't know who this woman was to make him feel so alive, but he wanted to find out. Never before had any woman made his heart skip and his body react the way Rose did. "I don't like the thought of having you going home to a cold house. And I'll tell you more about the holiday on my planet if you like?"

Rose tried not to smile too big. Her stomach was in butterflies again. "Sure! That is, if you don't mind? I know it's late..." She trailed off and bit her lip for a second as they reached the steps to her apartment. She gave her head a shake,."It's not really cold in there," she said. "But having a fire going would be nice anyway. Maybe I could make you some hot chocolate? You know, as a thank you for figuring the fireplace out for me? If you like it, that is."

Dende nodded, smiling at her, "That sounds wonderful. It has been a good while since I have had hot chocolate." He carefully helped her up the steps into the apartment.

Rose led the way into her apartment. There was a smallish Christmas tree set up in the corner near the fireplace, decorated with little white lights and golden bows. Rose hung up Dende's cloak and her coat, then set to making them some hot chocolate. "The landlord said it's a gas fireplace? I don't know anything about it. I was afraid of blowing something up so I never messed with it." By the time she had the hot chocolate ready, Dende had the fire going merrily in the darkened apartment.

"Oh wow," Rose smiled, handing him a large, rounded cup topped with little marshmallows. She smiled. "It actually feels kind of cozy in here now." She slipped off her heels and sat down on the couch. "So do you have plans for Christmas?"

Dende chuckled and gratefully accepted the hot chocolate from her, cradling it in his hands, "Aside from watching over the world? No. I imagine Jenny has something planned for the girls up at the Lookout. Small presents, a tree. You should go to Gohan's for Christmas. Its not good to be alone during good times." He smiled, "You would never have experienced the wonders of flopping around on ice if you didn't come tonight, you know." He loved this. Something about it just seemed right. They'd always spent the holidays together, curled up in front of a fireplace… He had to shake his head. There was that strange sense of knowing her again. He ever so slightly narrowed his eyes at her, trying to figure her out. Trying to make sense of that feeling again. He couldn't explain it to save his soul.

Rose wasn't sure if she wanted to be around a big family on Christmas. This was going to be her first year without her family. She shook her head, "No, I think I'd rather spend it alone." She sipped her hot chocolate, staring at the fire. Something burned inside her, whether it was courage or her tendency to stick her foot in her mouth, she didn't know. "Actually, that's a lie. I don't want to spend Christmas alone. I wish I had a family to spend Christmas with. Not, like, my parents. I mean, just someone... Someone who gets me and makes me smile. Someone to wake up to and make cinnamon rolls for or lay under the tree and look up at the lights. Someone to give a gift to and throw the empty wrapping paper at." A sad smile came across her face, "Just one person to spend it with. I don't need more than that," she said quietly. She cast a glance at Dende and gave her head a shake. "I don't really have time for someone like that, though, I suppose. It wouldn't be fair to them. I spend so much time working."

Dende laughed, "I understand that, but you work too much." He tilted his head. That sounded wonderful and in that moment all he wanted was to be that person for her. "I might not be able to for an entire day, Christmas isn't as peaceful as many would like to think, but if you want to throw wrapping paper at someone I suppose I could be available." He snickered into his hot chocolate, "But I might take you out onto the ice again and trip around some more in retaliation." He looked around. He didn't like the thought of her spending Christmas alone with nothing but the haunted looks of abused children haunting her from unsolved case files.

"Oh, I know that," Rose said. "I'm on call that day. Everyone is, actually. Christmas can be a sad time for a lot of people. I think it gets to them. Their family isn't what they think it should be on Christmas or something. People snap." She met his eyes. "But I guess you'd know that better than anyone." She was thoughtful for a moment. "I don't think there's going to be any wrapping paper here this year, but if you're an early riser, I could make you some orange danish rolls for breakfast on Christmas. My mom and I always made them. They're like cinnamon rolls, but better. It is the one singular thing I know how to cook. And that's mostly because you just have to pop open a can and my mom has shown me a million times how to do it."

Dende laughed and smiled warmly at her, "I'd like that. How early is early? I can get here and help you make them. And I may sneak out some wrapping paper. No presents, but wrapping paper." He chuckled before it faded away and he looked down into his cup of hot chocolate, "Yeah. Christmas is a hard time. Harder to keep the world in balance on that day. Emotions are extreme for one reason or another." He looked over at her, "You are on call? You mean, you can get called away to a loveless house at any time? Perhaps I can think of a gift for you that day. Not what you'd expect though."

Rose nodded. "Yeah, if I get a call that day, I have to answer it, have to go in to work. Parents don't stop abusing their children just because it's a holiday." She tilted her head at him. "A gift?" she asked, a small smile pulling at her lips, a little gleam in her eyes. "What sort of gift?"

Dende smiled, "Now that would be telling, wouldn't it?" He drained the last of his drink. "You can wait two days." He smiled, "But perhaps something to help you out on that day." He leaned back against the sofa and looked into the fire. It was warm and cozy. He didnt want to go. Something wanted him to stay there. Fall asleep next to her in his arms. He closed his eyes. He didn't know what was getting into him. Guardians weren't supposed to feel this way towards their charges, "I suppose I should let you get some rest. What time do you work tomorrow? Gosh, I cant believe it's almost Christmas Eve."

Rose shook her head. "No work tomorrow. Just on call." She peered at him in the soft firelight. It glowed a beautiful golden color against his emerald skin, his features pronounced. His strong brow and high cheekbones, those lips that had pressed against hers earlier in the evening. "Do you have to go?" she asked softly, the words slipping from her mouth before she realized she'd even said them. She blinked at herself, her words. She ducked back into her mug of hot chocolate, her ears burning. Part of her hoped he'd stay. But where?

In her bed.

'Shut up, shut up,' she thought to herself as if her brain was arguing with itself.

Dende looked over at her, "Yes, unfortunately, I do need to go home. It's easier to watch the world from up there." He smiled at her before he stood up setting his cup over on the table, "Hopefully, the world will be at peace for the next couple of days and give us both a reprieve. I will see what I can do in your part of the world to make sure your day goes well, and the lives of the children you look over." He went over to the door and pulled his cloak off of the rack, "You take care of yourself. The others were happy to see you. Don't be surprised if Goku shows up on Christmas day and kidnaps you."

She got up and followed him to the door. She was sad to see him go, but she knew he had work to do. Plus the last time he'd slept over had ended rather embarrassingly for both of them. "Thanks for inviting me tonight, Dende," she said, smiling at him. "I had a really nice time." She hesitated for a moment before she wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "I'm so lucky to have you for a friend." She swallowed hard, squeezing him just a little bit harder before she drew back from him and planted a tiny kiss on his cheek. "Thanks for being my friend."

Dende's breath caught when she was in his arms, placing a gentle kiss on his cheek. He wanted nothing more than to pull her back to him, envelope her into his arms and kiss her all night long. Instead he smiled at her, "Any time, Rose. Any time. I'll see you Christmas morning." He reached out and gave her shoulder a firm squeeze before he turned and headed downstairs, feeling alone and cold as he stepped out into the air. Christmas morning couldn't come soon enough.


	30. Dende's Gifts

Rose was humming a little Christmas tune early that morning, the smell of the rolls filling her apartment. It was the only thing in the world she knew how to bake and that was only because she had helped her mom do it every Christmas for as long as she could remember. She kept checking the rolls every minute, terrified that she'd burn them. That would be just her luck to serve Dende burnt rolls on Christmas morning. Her fireplace was still crackling merrily. She frankly didn't know how to turn it back off and she hoped she'd figure it out before spring came or she was really going to feel silly. She kept pacing back and forth from the oven to her door, looking through the peephole, looking for Dende. She wondered if he remembered his promise to come see her that morning. She checked the rolls again and went back to the door. She jumped and gave a little scream when she saw his face on the other side of the door. He hadn't even had a chance to knock yet. _'Good job, Rose, you stalker,'_ she mentally scolded herself. She rolled her eyes to the ceiling and squeezed them shut, hoping he hadn't heard her cry out like that and waited for him to knock.

Dende knocked on the door, hearing a small shriek on the other side. He smiled as she opened the door, "I hope I didn't scare you?" He chuckled and pointed to his ears at her questioning look, "Those rolls smell amazing." He looked around and shrugged off his robes. He handed over a small box, simply wrapped. A cookbook with vegetarian recipes. He had bought Goten a similar present, but a larger cookbook with a variety of tasty recipes. Jenny had given him the idea when he had said he was coming over there for Christmas morning, "I still have another gift, but I hope that you will not need it today."

Rose blushed. "I looked through the peephole right as you walked up. You startled me," she said sheepishly. She took the gift from him, "You didn't have to do that." She opened it quickly, excited to get a gift from him. The heavy, hardcover book was glossy and smelled like a fancy bookstore. She threw her head back with a laugh. "You're bound and determined to turn me into a cook, aren't you?" She froze and gasped, "The rolls!" She set the book on the counter and flew to the oven, yanking it open. She breathed a sigh of relief as she pulled them out. They were a perfect golden brown. She set them on the counter and grabbed the little packet of icing to drizzle over the top. "Thank you for the gift, Dende. I love it." She sucked a bit of icing from her finger and hurried over to her tree, picking up a small package and brought it to him. "I got you something, too. It isn't much, but, I thought you might like to have it. You know, in case we decide to go sidewalk ice-skating again."

Dende laughed and accepted the gift, "You really didn't have to." He eagerly tore into the packaging and pulled out a beautiful scarf, warm and soft, "Oh Rose, this is wonderful. Thank you so much!" He wrapped it around his neck, snuggling his face into the softness, breathing in the scent. It smelled like Rose's detergent. She must have washed it after she got it. He looked up at her and tossed the wadded up ball of wrapping paper at her, "Thank you. It's a lovely gift."

She shrieked and ducked as he threw it at her. She grabbed it off the floor and threw it back, giggling like crazy. It bounced off his nose and he threw it again as she tried to hide behind the kitchen bar. "Dende!" she cried in a warning voice, throwing it back at him again.

Dende grinned and smiled at her as it bounced off of him, he laughed, "So yes, I might be convinced to cease fire if I could have one of those delicious smelling rolls." He took a deep breath, the air was warm and fragrant with good smells. Hint of pine, wood smoke, it was cozy, "Then maybe a Christmas movie? We can be lazy today."

"Sounds fantastic," she said, and went to the cabinet, grabbing two small plates and placing rolls on each. "Here, I'll even give you two," she smiled. She led the way over to the couch and sat down cross-legged. She bit into one of the warm rolls, the sweet, tangy icing dancing on her tongue. Just a hint of orange. "I think this is one of my favorite parts about Christmas," she said, pointing at the rolls on her plate. She chewed and swallowed. "I'm glad you came over. I might've eaten the whole pan by myself," she giggled. "I think I'm developing a sweet tooth like you."

Dende laughed before he bit into one, sweet and flaky, they melted in his mouth and he had to stop his eyes from rolling back in his head, "Oh wow. These are really good. You might even give Sabriena a run for her money with these." He took another bite and chewed slowly, pausing to lick the orange glaze off of his fingers, "Delicious. See? You do have talent. I'll have to come over some time. Show you the best recipes in that book. There's a fruit tart in there that looks absolutely divine." He smiled and grinned over at her, "I see you got the fire going again. Its perfect. We will have to figure out something for dinner. Take out perhaps?" He laughed.

Rose nodded. "I've done my share of cooking for the year. I'm good now. Take out it is!" She giggled again. She just couldn't stop smiling. Something about Dende just made her so happy. She turned on the couch to face him, not responding to his comment about the fire. She didn't want to lie to him, but she didn't want to admit she didn't know how to turn it off, either. "So what Christmas movie should we watch? Have you seen Christmas Vacation? It's so funny."

Dende shook his head, digging into the second roll on his plate, "I must admit, I haven't watched many earth movies. I think I could use something funny. Please do start it up." He leaned back in the sofa, tucking his feet up and into the cushions. He was used to the cold, but the warmth was too good to pass up, "My apologies if I fall asleep. This is an extremely comfy couch."

Rose popped the movie in and settled back into the couch, poking Dende in the ribs. "Don't you dare fall asleep on me. It's Christmas! And I'm wound up for some reason." Rose pulled her feet up onto the couch again, her knee barely resting against Dende's. She was giggling before the movie even started. She leaned over to Dende, "You know, I kinda hope Goku doesn't show up today. I'm having too much fun with you already. Shh! Don't tell him that." They laughed through most of the movie, making it about halfway through before Rose's phone rang. She paused the movie, her smile fading from her face and she answered. "Hello?" Her face went pale as she listened to the person on the other end of the line. "Oh god... I... I'll be right there." She hung up and looked to Dende, "Dende, I'm so sorry. I have to go." She jumped up and ran to the door as she grabbed her purse frantically and slipped on her shoes.

Dende paused the movie and sat up. Her feeling of horror was too strong for him to block out. He stood and went to the door, slipping into his shoes and pulling on his cloak, "Let me come with you. What is it? What has happened?" She was scaring him how serious she was. He was hoping that she would have another day of peace, but the world waited for no one and it was people like him. Like her who answered the call no matter what, "The hospital?" He picked it up, "Sorry. You are thinking loudly."

"Yeah. That's okay, I know. My mind's going a mile a minute," she said, panic in her voice. "Come on." She grabbed his arm and practically drug him out of the apartment. Rose was so upset about what she'd heard on the phone that she could barely think straight. She knew she was probably driving Dende nuts if he could hear her thoughts now. "There's a little boy, he's unresponsive..."

They arrived at the hospital a short time later and Rose ran inside with Dende on her heels. Rose recognized her co-worker standing in the wide hallway, speaking to a doctor. It was the heavy-set lady who'd responded to the Son case. "Barb! I got here as quick as I could. What's going on?"

Barb turned to Rose, "I'm not sure yet. The ambulance just got here. We'll have to wait and see." She gave Dende a sweeping look, but said nothing, obviously too concerned with her work to even bother with him.

The doors burst open and the EMTs wheeled in a gurney, a tiny child laying on it. He couldn't have been much more than a year old. Rose flattened herself against the wall, her arm pushing Dende against it as well, to make room for them to get by. The poor baby's face was covered in bruises, there was a large dip in his skull as though it had been bashed in. Rose gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

The EMTs took him into a room, but were only there for a few moments. One of them spoke to the doctor, there was nothing they could do. The call had come too late, the child was gone.

Barb cursed and Rose felt like she could cry.

"We understand there's another sibling in the home," the EMT said. "The whole family is on the way here."

Dende felt the life force leaving the child as they wheeled him past. The caved in portion of the child's head, the fear, the pain. He grasped at the wall behind him, closing his eyes against the onslaught. There was much pain here in this hospital. There was hope and love, too, but here in the ER the fear and negatives were strongest. He opened his eyes. Not even he could help the little one now. He felt sick. "What kind of monster does that to a child?" he breathed out, staring after the EMTs that had taken the child into the room. He looked at Rose, feeling her anguish. He felt inside of himself, his hand turning a golden color and he offered it to Rose. "My other gift, I had hoped you wouldn't need. Tt will help keep the cold away of these heartless people who would do so much harm to one who is defenseless."

Rose took Dende's hand and squeezed it harder than she should have. She felt the calming energy flood through her and she drew a long breath through her nose. It didn't quite ease the pain, but it cleared her mind enough for her to face these people.

The next few minutes were a blur as police officers arrived, the family arrived. The doctor went to the waiting room and addressed the family, making the announcement. Wails of anguish and shouts of outrage erupted. The sounds of a scuffle broke out. A family member had attacked the boyfriend of the child's mother.

Rose squared her shoulders. She knew who she was speaking to first. The mother, who had let such a monster into her home, who let her child die. "Dende, you can go if you want. Thank you for the gift. I understand if you want to leave."

Dende shook his head, "I'm not going any where." He leveled a look at the family from where he stood. "You shouldn't have to face this alone." He crossed his arms, listening to the wailing from the family. A couple of them were faking it. He shook his head and looked at Rose. She was suppressing her feelings now. His magick had helped a bit. She was all business now. She was definitely the one for the part. She knew what she had to do. He wanted to know what happened to that poor child, what excuse they had for the dent in the head of that little one.

"Just wait here," Rose said softly to Dende before she stepped forward, speaking to a woman about her own age with stringy, dirty blonde hair and a glazed look in her eyes. Rose sighed inwardly. Another one of THESE people. She gestured to a room and she and the woman disappeared inside.

It took a couple hours for everything to be straightened out. At first the couple claimed that the toddler had run head-first into a heavy table and appeared to be a little dizzy and they had put him to bed in his crib. When they awoke the next morning, they found him unresponsive and had called 911. But as the workers and police pressed the two individuals, the story began to change. Finally, Rose got the mother to admit that the baby had gotten a hold of the boyfriend's cell phone and dropped it, cracking the screen. In a rage, he had beaten the child and slammed his head against the table. They then put the baby in his bed to sleep, thinking he would be fine in the morning and that they could hide what had happened.

It was quickly agreed upon that the mother's daughter, a girl of about three years old, should be immediately removed from the home and the boyfriend was charged with second degree murder.

Rose looked weary as she finally returned to Dende, who had mostly gone unnoticed in all of the commotion. She frowned and shook her head. "I suppose you heard most of that?"

Dende nodded, opening his eyes to look at her with a new respect for her. His words were calm, quiet, and calculated, "I don't know how you do it. Usually when one is exposed to so much anger it poisons the soul. But not you." He sighed and looked around, watching as the police led the boyfriend away in handcuffs. The violence didn't make sense to him, especially with a young one. What infuriated him the most was that the child could have been saved if they had brought him in when it happened. Not that he would have walked away; the dent in the child's head was too big, there would have been permanent brain damage. But to think that the poor little soul had gone all night, alone, in pain, his head slowly filling with blood until his little body had to shut down. He closed his eyes and swallowed, feeling ill. He reached out for Rose, not aware of it until he had her hand in his, feeling the pain abate. He looked at her, "What do you need me to do?"

She closed her eyes and swallowed harshly. It was still only mid day, and Christmas at that. "Come home with me?" she asked, her voice soft, vulnerable. She didn't want to be alone right now. She couldn't get the image of that baby's face out of her mind. She needed Dende in that moment, her heart aching. The family was leaving, the doctors returning to their rounds, the EMTs had gone already.

Dende reached and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, taking the paperwork from her hands and tucking it under his other arm. "Of course." He honestly didn't know what to say in this situation. He wouldn't apologize for this, it was not his fault, but he was sorry her Christmas had been interrupted. But if she hadn't responded, there would still be one child in danger of having the same thing happen to her. A blessing and a curse. "You did good work today, Rose. That little girl will have another loving family and she will live to see another Christmas, thankful for the work you did to protect her and her little brother. Yes, he is dead, but he is in a better place now. His soul stayed until you found the truth of what happened. He was happy that you saved his big sister."

"He... His soul stayed?" she asked in a breathless whisper, looking around as they walked out of the hospital as though she could see it.

"I said his soul stayed until you found out what really happened. He's moved on from this world Rose. To a better place. He may have even been reincarnated. It just depends on what they decide to do upstairs."

A knot formed in her throat that she couldn't swallow. She ducked her head and pressed her lips together as they made their way to her car she'd left uncapsuled in the little parking lot. She drove them back to her apartment in silence, her eyes fixed on the road, driving as if she were on autopilot. They reentered her apartment and she kicked off her shoes and hung up her coat. She was home. She numbly walked over to her couch and flopped down on it, tossing her glasses onto the coffee table, and covered her eyes, fighting the urge to cry.

Dende toed off his shoes and hung his cloak on the rack before he walked over to her. He tilted his head at her and against his better judgement, reached out and rubbed her back. "Go on and cry. I won't think any less of you. Crying means you are still human. Still yourself. I don't want to meet the person who can't cry after seeing something like that. Come here." He leaned back on the couch, tugging her to him, and let her relax against him.

Rose wrapped her arms around Dende's middle and gave in to the pain she felt. She sobbed into his chest, curling her fingers in the back of his shirt. "I feel so useless," she sobbed. "If only I could have saved him, too." She was so angry at that mother who had sat there and lied to her, trying to protect the murdering bastard who'd killed her own baby. "Dende, what is WRONG with people?!" She wiped at her eyes before hugging him again. The pain in her heart seemed to overwhelm her. She was grateful for the peace he'd offered her earlier, but now it seemed to be wearing off. "There's too many," she whispered. "Just too many. How can I ever save them all?"

Dende pressed his lips thin as he thought, "You need help. You are but one person who does all that she can to help those in need. You do what you can, Rose. It's never easy. Its just fate. Things happen the way they do so that we help out when we can; to let us know we are needed. To make a terrible situation better even if just for one person. There has been a great many evils to befall this earth and not everyone knows that. I have had to watch from afar, feeling like my hands were tied, knowing I couldn't do anything to stop the lights from going out in the world. The best thing you can do is to have someone there, reminding you that there is good in what you do, that it is worthwhile. It's not your fault that child died, Rose. It's the fault of the loved ones who were supposed to protect him, but ultimately failed him."

Rose's crying calmed as she listened to Dende's words. The little girl was safe. At least she'd saved one life that day. "I'm sorry our Christmas got messed up, Dende," she muttered into his chest. Something about him calmed her, soothed her emotions as she held onto him. She closed her eyes as she relaxed against him. Something about him just felt right. He made it better for her, made it bearable, made her feel like someone finally understood this overwhelming need to protect others even at the cost of your own sanity. Her right arm slipped back around to wipe away the last of her tears and she laid it on his chest, her palm resting over his heart.

Dende chuckled, rubbing her back, leaning on the couch, feeling content, "You didn't ruin it. I was needed here. If I hadn't been here, you would have been alone. I would have been alone and we both would be in a worse place." He looked up at the ceiling, "How about some chocolate chip cookies and let's order out?"

Rose nodded and reluctantly withdrew from Dende. She grabbed her glasses off the table and headed for the kitchen. She called in an order for their dinner and grabbed a package of cookies from the cabinet. "I think I should'a bought you chocolate instead of that scarf," she said, trying to smile, and poured him a glass of milk to go with the cookies.

Dende gave her a small smile and took a cookie, "Chocolate lifts spirits almost as good as my magick does."

She sat back down next to him, not feeling particularly hungry. She leaned her head on his shoulder and whispered, "Thank you for being you. And for being here with me."

He chuckled softly, "You're welcome, Rose. I'll always be here for you. Always."

* * *

**Author's Note: **This chapter is a true story. My friend was working in the ER the day this little boy was brought in. The whole town was outraged. GreenSaiyan, I agree with you. I don't know how someone could harm their own child like that. My friend was beside herself for days after it happened and she couldn't sleep; and she was just the phlebotomist who was working that day. People fucking suck.


	31. Under the Tree

Sabriena smiled to herself as she used her magick to light the Christmas tree in the still darkened cabin. It was a bit early to get up, she knew that, but it was Christmas and she could hardly wait to give her husbands their first Christmas present. The big, red silk ribbon she'd wrapped around herself was staying in place better than she'd hoped. She'd even fixed her hair and put on just a bit of makeup, then slipped her feet into her bright red stiletto heels. She had the sneaking suspicion that Goku liked them more than he let on.

The fire crackled merrily in the fireplace, the air was good and warm in the cabin, and Sabriena finally laid down on the furs she'd placed by the Christmas tree. She laid on her side, facing the bed, and tried to find the sexiest, most seductive pose she could as she waited for them to wake up.

Goku started awake, not knowing what had drawn him from his slumber. Absentmindedly, he reached out, trying to draw Sabriena into his arms for more warmth, but when he didn't find her, his eyes snapped open. Tien was still sleeping peacefully, but Sabriena was no where to be found. He sat up, his eyes catching the Christmas tree, the lights shining brightly in the darkened cabin, the air warm. Wait. They didn't have any electricity. How were there Christmas lights? Oh! Oh my. Goku swallowed as his eyes caught on the beautiful visage beneath the tree wrapped in the most beautiful red bow he'd ever seen. And only a red bow, he realized. His cock twitched at the sight, hardening already at the ideas flying through his mind and he nudged Tien.

Tien gave a startled jump when he felt Goku jab him and he blinked sleepily at his husband. "Goku? What's up?" he yawned. He caught Goku's wide-eyed look and followed his gaze. Tien's breath caught in his throat as he saw Sabriena laying beneath the tree. His eyes followed the ribbon snaking up her legs, covering her intimate parts, wrapping around her waist, covering her breasts with a big bow tied in the middle. "Sabriena..." he breathed, suddenly wide awake and energized. "What are you...?"

"Merry Christmas, boys," she purred. "How about you two get over here and unwrap your gift?"

Goku could barely breathe as he climbed out of bed, following Tien over to the tree and dropping to his knees on the warm furs their wife had spread out. "Oh, wow." His eyes trailed over the intricate pattern that covered her creamy skin. He groaned as his cock pulsed at the sight, wanting to bury himself deeply into that heat. He felt himself grow harder when he saw her wearing those impossibly high stilettos. He dropped to his elbows, laying on his chest, taking a delicate foot in his grasp and kissed hotly at her ankle.

Sabriena hissed as Goku's mouth made contact with her skin. She couldn't wait to feel his mouth all over her body. She smiled; she knew he liked those heels.

"Oh my god," Tien breathed, sitting on his knees, admiring the sight before him. His cock was hard already, the lights from the Christmas tree illuminating just how swollen and red it was. He reached for the ribbon, not to untie it, but to tease his wife's breast through the impossibly silky soft material. She drew another sharp breath through her teeth as his thumb brushed over her nipple. "You are so beautiful," Tien breathed, leaning over to capture her lips in a passionate kiss as his hand trailed along the ribbon, teasing her body as he traced its path over her skin.

Goku peered up from his current task, "We should leave the ribbons for a little while." His eyes were dark with lust as he drank in her sight, the dark patch on the ribbon at the center to her body, the way her hard nipples poked at the ribbon covering them. "We should take her just like this… ribbons and all." He groaned and leaned back down, licking at the other ankle, trailing his tongue over the straps of the shoe and finally moved up to kiss at her knees. He could smell her spicy arousal from here and it made his mouth water, "Then we can unwrap her."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Tien agreed breathily as he moved to suck at Sabriena's neck. He laid on his side, leaving plenty of room between himself and her for Goku, despite the fact that he wanted nothing more than to grind up against her, to tug that ribbon just slightly to the side and bury his aching cock inside her tight heat.

Sabriena whimpered as Tien sucked at the mark on her neck, making her body clench and grow wetter with his every lick and suck. "Oh, baby," she purred. "More, Tien. Please... more..." She draped one leg over Goku's shoulder, trying to draw him closer to her core, writhing slightly on the floor as Tien continued to tease at her mark and her nipples.

Goku moaned and finally reached up, pressing a finger to the ribbon that was already dripping with her essence. He smirked as he rubbed at the silken fabric, teasing the little trapped nub beneath, his fingers grazing outside, teasing her folds. He leaned in and licked at the ribbon, moaning at the exquisite taste. He tongued her harder than before, teasing the he edge of the ribbon before he let his hand follow the trail up her back, cupping her firm round flesh, teasing at the crease with his thumb. Her body was so hot, it was like a furnace. "Tien," he moaned, "you have to taste this."

Tien gave Sabriena another long, hot kiss before he moved beside Goku, watching in fascination as Goku licked at the ribbon. He could see it dripping and he was certain that wasn't all from Goku's mouth. "May I?" he asked Goku politely before he pressed his face against her body, his tongue sliding along the ribbon. She tasted amazing.

Sabriena was panting and shaking as her husbands took turns licking her body through the silk. Dear gods, that was amazing. Tien moved her to lay on her back. He grabbed her knees and spread her legs wide, the ribbon barely covering her like this.

Tien moaned at the sight and grabbed Goku, kissing him deeply, tasting their wife's essence on both of their tongues. He moved them to lay between her spread legs and began to trace his tongue along the edge of the ribbon, nipping at her soft folds that were not quite completely covered, before he fixed Goku with a heated stare. "Taste her with me," he said, pulling Goku's face closer to his own and to Sabriena's body as he started to lick at her again.

Goku moaned out in pleasure, his husband's cheek pressed next to his own, their tongues brushing against each other, working in tandem to bring her pleasure. Goku paused to suck her folds, drinking down her essence. His hand ran up and down her leg, squeezing lightly at her knee. He shivered in delight when he randomly kissed Tien with her folds centimeters from their lips. He reached down between them, grasping Tien's hard length, the hot flesh amazing under his fingers. "Gods… can you just imagine sliding into her like this?" He reached, up pressing on the ribbon, trying to push his finger into her, but the cloth was firm and did not give. He groaned and slipped his hand beneath her. He angled her just so Tien could still taste her while he nipped at the flesh of her ass, the little bite marks turning the creamy skin red.

Sabriena could barely breathe, both of her husbands' mouths on her at the same time. What little breath she could get came out in sharp, high-pitched moans. She gave another cry as she felt Goku's teeth against her skin. She hooked her legs over each of their shoulders, dragging the sharp heels of her shoes along their backs; she could just imagine the long, red welts it left on their skin.

Tien hissed as her shoe scraped along his skin and he suckled harder at her through the ribbon while he thrust into Goku's hand. Gods, that felt so good. His own hand went to Goku's cock, using it to pull his husband's body a little closer to him before he began to stroke it in time with Goku's hand on his own cock. "Gods, I want her," Tien breathed against Sabriena's body. He quickly kissed Goku, "I want you, too." He quickened his stroke just slightly, watching Goku's reaction for a moment before his mouth went to Sabriena's body once more.

Goku moaned at the admission, an idea coming to his mind and he rolled on his back, pulling Sabriena to lay on top of him, he hoped this would work. "I want you both" he groaned. He rubbed his cock in hot crease between Sabriena's cheeks, crying out in pleasure as the ribbon rubbed his aching cock so deliciously. "Have us both," he moaned breathily to Tien, "and later we can try having each other." He turned his lips, grazing Sabriena's ear with his hot breath, "Would you like that? To see us in each other at the same time?"

Sabriena thought she could come just from his words. "Yes," she squeaked. "Oh, gods, yes! Please... please let me watch," she begged.

Tien moved and positioned himself between their legs, his pulse pounding in his ears, his cock throbbing in time with his pulse. He slid the ribbon just slightly to the side, admiring Sabriena's glistening core. "Hold her for me, Goku," he said and plunged himself into her wet sheath, crying out as his cock was suddenly engulfed in that delicious heat. He reached down with his hand and sought the opening to Goku's body, pressing two fingers into him, working them in and out of his body in time with his thrusts into Sabriena. He smiled at the way both of them panted and moaned from his attention. Without warning, he withdrew from Sabriena and drove himself into Goku, gasping at the tightness of his body, and slid his fingers into Sabriena instead. "This... what you... had in mind?" he asked Goku.

Goku's eyes rolled back in his head as he was suddenly filled to the brim with his husband spreading him open wide. The delicious friction and tightness was almost enough to make him come, but he whimpered and bit his lip. "Yessssss!" he shouted as he bucked up against Sabriena, loving the friction as his body rubbed against her, slipping easily with the precum dripping out of his tip. "Oh gods," he panted, reaching around and grasping at both of her nipples, still covered in the ribbon, twisting and pulling at them, working them back and forth as he clenched his body around Tien. He loved it. Heavens above he loved that feeling of being filled. Controlled. Owned. Possessed.

Sabriena cried out as Goku teased at her breasts, pinching and rolling them, Tien's fingers sliding in and out of her body. "More," she begged. "Please... please!"

Tien smirked and leaned over her, speaking into her ear and he looked at Goku, "You're so greedy, Sabriena." He withdrew from Goku and slid back into her once again, loving the wetness of her body. Goku whimpered and Tien smiled at him. "I'll take care of you, too," he promised as he slid his fingers into Goku once more. "Gotta satisfy the wife, first. Then you and I can take care of each other." He drove himself harder into Sabriena as she screamed out her pleasure, Goku's cock rubbing in the crease of her buttocks, Tien's hard cock pounding into her, jarring her senses, Goku's fingers still pinching her nipples. Tien's fingers found Goku's prostate and pressed harshly against it, rubbing it rapidly. "Come for me," he purred to both of them. "Help me make her come, Goku. Make yourself come for me, too."

Goku hardly needed any encouragement. He leaned forward, biting and nipping fervently at the mark on her neck, bucking up against her as Tien pressed on that delicious place inside of his core. The thoughts swirling around in his head, Sabriena in her ribbons, Tien fucking them both, his fingers large and inescapable piercing his body, the idea about what they were going to do. It was all too much, and he roared out as he thrust up against Sabriena, crying out his release as his cock swelled between her cheeks and shot thick white strands of his essence onto her body. He bucked against her, riding out his release, his eyes rolling into the back of his head.

Sabriena came at the same time Goku did, screaming in pleasure as her orgasm ripped through her body. Tien's cock was so big and hard inside of her and a moment later, his hot seed spilled into her body, filling her with that burning liquid. "Oh gods... oh gods…" She came a second time, so hard it made her tense up and shake as he pounded into her through his own orgasm until they were all a sweating, panting heap upon the floor.

Tien shuddered as he withdrew from her body and helped her to lay on the floor next to Goku. "Phew," he breathed, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "You guys are amazing," he chuckled, sitting back on his heels, admiring their bodies in the beautiful light from the tree.

"Helluva way to start Christmas off," Sabriena giggled.

Tien eyed Goku for a moment. "And if I know him, we're just getting started," he grinned, his cock already beginning to harden again at what Goku had proposed.

Goku gave Tien a goofy smile before he turned on his side to face Sabriena, tracing a line of the ribbon and looked at her. "You have to promise not to laugh if we get stuck. And you have to help us out," he chuckled before he turned to Tien, licking his lips at the sight of his husband already hardening again. Hardening for him. He felt his own length swell and he reached down to stroke it to full hardness, moaning at his own touch. "So," he purred, "how should we do this?" He could already tell he was going to have to be facing away from Tien, head-to-toe, maybe their legs could be scissored between them both. He shuddered at the intimate thought and crawled over to Tien, pushing him to lay back next to Sabriena, and moved himself with one leg on each side of Tien, the position bringing their balls to rest against each other.

Tien shivered, not quite sure what to expect, but he loved the feeling already of being so intimately entwined with Goku. He blushed at the feeling of his sac pressing against Goku's. He swallowed harshly and stroked himself for a moment until his flesh was hard and red again. He pressed his cock downwards to angle it towards Goku's body. The position was a bit awkward, but if it worked... oh gods... He had to admit, he hadn't been able to get the idea out of his head ever since Goku had first mentioned it. He groaned loudly as he slipped the head of his cock into Goku's body, the tight heat squeezing him perfectly, and he had to resist the urge to slam himself home. "Please, Goku, I need you," he breathed heavily, willing his body to relax so Goku could slide his cock into him.

Goku groaned, oh by the gods, that was a new sensation. He pressed back down on Tien, taking in more of the large cock, sliding further down until he couldn't take any more, stroking his own cock, he angled downward, moaning at the sensation, pain and pleasure mixing together deliciously. He pressed the head of his cock to Tien's opening, his mouth dropping open as he pushed in, "Oh gods… oh gods, oh gods..." He was engulfed by the tight heat of Tien's body, and he was pierced so deeply at the same time. It was so intimate, his cock twitched and pulsed at the sensations flooding through him. "Oh holy shit." He bucked against Tien experimentally, rocking back and forth, thrusting in and out of him, thrusting Tien deeper into him.

Tien groaned loudly as Goku speared him, their bodies joined more intimately than ever before. This was incredible. He moved with Goku, their cocks sliding in and out of each other, their balls rubbing together, heightening the sensations. "G-Goku," Tien panted, his mind racing, barely able to form a coherent thought, "You're... a genius..." He moaned loudly, unable to stop the obscene sound from escaping him.

"Yes, he is," Sabriena breathed, her eyes wide as she watched her husbands. By the gods, she'd never seen anything so amazing in all her life. She moved to her side, staring at them, and trailed her hand down to the wet silk between her legs, teasing herself as she watched.

Goku couldn't stop the bark of laughter that escaped his lips, soon swallowed up by another moan, a hiss. Oh by the gods. This position. It was perfect. He rubbed Tien just right, the friction making him see stars. Tien hit that perfect spot so deeply inside of him. It was heaven. He could already feel his cock throbbing for release. "Tien," he moaned, "touch me. Touch my scar. Please!" He wriggled around on Tien, grinding down hard, fireworks popping before his eyes.

Tien gasped out as Goku began to grind against him. Oh stars. Tien mimicked the motion, both of them falling into a circular grinding of their hips, the motion making their cocks brush up perfectly against one another's prostate. "Oh, god, Goku!" he cried, tears nearly forming in his eyes. This was breath-taking. He swallowed again, and again, trying to get control of his breathing, his body. He couldn't stop and he ground himself against Goku even harder. He reached down, finally finding the slightly rough skin of Goku's scar, and massaged it with his fingertips, rubbing it in time with their motions. Tien's eyes rolled in his head, his teeth clenched. "So good..." he whimpered. "Goku, you don't know how good you are. How tight you are... Gods, you make my cock so hard..." He wanted more and he pressed down harder, their cocks slipping into each other just a bit more. More, until there was no way they could possibly be any deeper inside one another. "Ohhhh GODS!" Tien cried.

Goku's vision went white as Tien's body clamped down on his own and he was suddenly filled with Tiens seed, his hot cock pumping into him, and he screamed his own release, filling Tien up just as equally. He couldn't breathe, the pleasure was so intense, so complete. He felt himself swooning as he could no longer hold himself up, falling to his side, his body still intricately wound with Tien's. "Oh wow," he gasped.

"I... can't... move," Tien gasped, falling limply to his side, his cock still buried in Goku's body, twitching slightly. He felt boneless, as if it would take him a full week just to be able to even attempt to get off that floor. He looked over at Sabriena who was panting and sweaty, laying on her side as well. "What... happened... to you?"

Sabriena could barely answer him. "That was the HOTTEST fucking thing I have EVER seen," she breathed, withdrawing her fingers from her body.

Tien let out a weak laugh and shook his head, trying to slow his breathing. He couldn't even get onto her for her language this time. "Goku," he said softly, reaching down and rubbing gently at the muscle of Goku's bum, "You are amazing."

Goku weakly waved a hand in the air. "I know," he panted before he carefully crawled away from Tien's body, shivering as they slipped from each other. "Oh wow," he gasped as he turned around, crawling to Sabriena's side, nuzzling at her still wrapped breast. "Mmmm, that was good," he murmured before he pulled on the little bow and watched as a breast feel free. He groaned and caught the nub in his mouth.

Sabriena gasped sharply as Goku's mouth closed over her nipple, suckling it. "Now who's insatiable?" she purred, cupping the back of his head, pulling him against her breast. She ran her free hand down his muscular side, shivering at the feel of his warm skin under her fingers. "Oh, I want you even more," she crooned, pressing her body up against his. "You made me so hot, watching you and Tien fucking like that. You have no idea how sexy you are." She crooked her finger at Tien who crawled up behind her, still worn out, but lusting for more.

He covered her mark with his mouth, rubbing himself against her. He was surprised at how quickly his body responded to hers after having just spent himself twice. "Can I have both of you?" she asked, her breath catching as Goku sucked harder at her nipple. She reached behind her and grabbed Tien's cock, making him hiss, and guided it to slide between her cheeks before she cupped Goku's hardening length and teased the head of him against the ribbon still covering her folds.

Goku shuddered and nodded, reaching down and finally removing the ribbon, peeling it away from her dripping sex, Tien's essence still glistening within her. He shuddered, but smirked at her before he concentrated, drawing his brows together as he powered up, his hair flashing to gold, his eyes a cool seafoam green. "I think we're about even on the insatiable part," he said with a deep voice as he pressed the head of his broad cock up against her quivering folds, pressing into her at an agonizingly slow pace. "Yesssss," he hissed.

Sabriena gasped as he filled her, feeling every delicious inch of him sliding into her. "Oh baby... mmmmm... gods, that feels so good," she moaned. She looked over her shoulder at Tien. "Please? I want you, too."

Tien swallowed nervously. In all the time they'd been together, all the positions they'd tried, he couldn't ever remember being in Sabriena's ass before. She seemed to sense his hesitation and rolled her eyes, reaching back and grabbing his cock, steadying him, before she suddenly thrust her hips back, impaling herself on him. They both cried out at the same time, and Tien gave a visible shudder. "Oh wow," he breathed as he felt Goku's cock rubbing against him through that wall of muscle. Tien scooted closer to Goku, burying his cock deeper into their wife's body, pressing her between them as she practically purred.

"Oh... this is PERFECT," she whined, one arm reaching back to grab at Tien's hip, the other gripping the back of Goku's neck.

Goku hummed pleasantly as he felt his husband's cock through the thin wall of muscle and tissue in their wife's body. He smiled and thrust into her again, feeling her shuddering against his form. He was already so hard again. He wondered how on earth he had gotten so lucky to have these two. It was amazing, his two mates, the ones he chose to be with for now and all eternity. It was more than he could have ever hoped for and he could feel his chest swelling with love for them. "Love you both," he gasped out as he felt Tien thrust in. Oh by the gods… yesss. He leaned down , breathing into Sabriena's ear, "Take all of it." He grabbed Tien's hips and at the same time he pulled forward, he thrust into her, both of them impaling her as deeply as they could go.

Sabriena screamed and clutched at Goku's chest, digging her nails into his skin, a sob of pleasure escaping her lips. By the gods, that hurt and felt fucking amazing at the same time. "Do it again," she begged in a whisper. "Do it again, please."

Tien grinned at Goku and grabbed Sabriena's hips, and, as if reading each other's minds, both of them withdrew until just the heads of their cocks were in her body, then slammed themselves into her once again, making her scream out again. "More! Oh, gods, guys! I... I love you!" She was going mad with desire, feeling them filling her so harshly, so completely, knowing they were enjoying it just as much as she was.

Tien began to shake as he and Goku set a brutal pace, driving themselves as deeply as possible into her body. His cock ached for release, but he wasn't going to give in until he was sure his mates were satisfied. All he wanted was to pleasure them, to make sure they knew that he wanted them taken care of, that they were loved beyond anything he could ever express in words.

Goku couldn't stand it any longer, the pleasure was so good. He leaned down to bite at Sabriena's mark as he gave one last brutal thrust, burying himself in her to the hilt. He roared out his pleasure as he came, boiling hot cum splashing deeply into her, against the bulge that was Tien deep inside of her. He keened, thrusting against her as he rode out his orgasm, his voice still low and deep as he nuzzled her ear, but locked gazes with Tien. "Come for me."

Tien gave one more thrust, driving himself into her, feeling Goku's cock throbbing against his own. He shouted in pleasure as his cock pumped his cum into her, the orgasm lasting much longer than he expected, and he felt Sabriena clench down on them both, milking them completely dry. She was nearly crying from so much pleasure and she kissed at Goku's throat as they both trembled against her, all three of them tense, waiting to come down from their high. Slowly they relaxed, Tien burying his face into Sabriena's silky blonde hair, his arms wrapping around Goku to hug them both closer to him. "I love you," he whispered to Sabriena. He peeked up from her shoulder and met Goku's eyes. "And I love you."

Goku powered down, his hair falling down into its normal black, and he relaxed completely, going boneless. "And I love you… love you both." He couldn't move. It took too much energy at that moment so he just let himself be held, resting his head on Sabriena's arm, kissing at her cheek. "Wow. Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas, baby," Sabriena whispered, nuzzling into his chest and breathing a contented sigh, loving the feeling of being held so tightly between her husbands. "I'm so lucky to have you both," she said softly, letting her eyes fall closed as she hugged Goku.

Tien kissed at her neck, breathing in the scent from all three of them. It was intoxicating. He would never, ever be able to imagine his life without either of his mates now. He swallowed the lump in his throat and hugged them tighter. "Best Christmas ever," he murmured.


	32. Something More

Vegeta stretched back in his chair, pushing aside his plate. His muscles were sore from sparring all day with Trunks and Tora in the gravity room. He'd eaten, but not with the gusto he usually did. He was too distracted. He hadn't heard much from Kakarot, aside from the Christmas party, and even then there wasn't much news on Goten's case. He didn't know why it bothered him so much, other than the fact that he couldn't stand to see one of his people being mistreated. He had seen far too much of that firsthand when the Saiyans were under Frieza's rule. He would not stand for it now.

He thought it was ridiculous to follow the rules of this planet, knowing full well that the safest place in the whole world for that child was with his father. But Bulma had insisted on following the law. He sighed. He knew she always wanted to do the right thing, but he would've much rather taken matters into his own hands.

He was tired of this. Tired of their family being the target for enemies, whether they be old foes, the Atlanteans, or even someone who was supposed to be part of the family. Too many times had their loved ones been used as pawns, kidnapped, tortured, abused. And what had he done to stop it, to protect them? Nothing. He had stood by while this utter bullshit went on behind his back. There had to be something he could do to put an end to this sort of misery. It was no way for any of them to live.

He watched as the others at the table finished their dinner. Trunks and Tora were still shoveling food into their mouths, Catie had already excused herself and gone to visit with Jenny for the evening, and Bulma sat across the table from him, shaking her head at how fast the other two Saiyans were inhaling their food.

Bulma watched with a faint smile on her face as the two Saiyans continued to eat. She turned back to her cup of coffee with a sigh, her fingers curling around the hot mug. Since she had returned from that shadow world, she couldn't get enough heat. She took a sip and glanced at her husband, seeing how unsettled he was. She reached across the table and slipped her hand into his. She slid her leg under the table and nudged his own. "This whole thing is bothering you, isn't it?"

Vegeta gave a tiny snort of amusement. She knew him too well and could read him like a book. "Is it that obvious?" he asked. He curled his fingers around hers, absentmindedly thumbing over the wedding ring on her hand. "There has to be more that I can do," he said quietly. Ever since Bulma had come back, he'd been on high alert, constantly checking on her, his head always on a swivel as if he expected Fasha to appear out of nowhere and steal his mate again. And all the while, that bitch Chichi was right under their noses, her abuse of Goten hidden in plain sight. Truth be told, he and Bulma probably saw more of that little boy than Goku did. He always seemed to be at their house to play with little Trunks. Well, he had been before this whole mess. "Training alone isn't enough," he went on. "There has to be more. I just cannot figure out what it is."

Trunks slurped down the last of his meal, pausing to sip at his drink, "What more can we do, except train?" He asked, he didn't know what more could have been done to help Goten's situation, "The house is blessed, the girls blessed everyone's home. I'm not sure if there's anything we can do except learn from our mistakes and our enemies." He looked over and winked at Tora, "Well, you know what you are."

Tora shook his head and rolled his eyes as he chewed. "You're never going to stop with that, are you?" he asked, trying not to snicker. He was used to the teasing from Trunks and Catie. He sat back with a groan, his stomach beyond full. He never thought he'd see the day where he felt like he'd eaten too much food. "He's right, though," he said, looking over at Vegeta. "What more can we do? I know there's been talk of just taking the boy and if it comes to that, I'm with Kakarot. But Bulma said that'll only cause more harm than good. I don't know enough about how things work here on earth yet, but if you think there's something more that can be done, we're with you."

Vegeta went quiet for a moment, thinking it all over in his head. "The only thing I can do is to get stronger," he muttered. "I have to be able to protect this family. So far I have failed." He released Bulma's hand and withdrew from her, looking over at the frosted windows of the dining room. "The gravity room isn't challenging enough anymore. I need something else. There has to be a way."

Bulma withheld her sigh and stood up, leaving her cup on the table and went over to stand next to Vegeta, slipping her arms around his waist and leaned her head against his shoulder, "What do you need me to do? I can build you something new, something better." She thought for a moment before she pressed a kiss to his cheek, "But, don't say you have failed this family. You haven't. You've protected us and more."

He gave a nod, but her words didn't comfort him like he wished they would. He would never say no to new equipment to train with, but that wasn't exactly what he had in mind. What he was thinking about was something quite different, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to go that route just yet. And that would involve going to see the old woman again. He suppressed the urge to shudder. He appreciated Arthusia's help, but damn if she didn't make him uncomfortable. No, there had to be another way to go about this.

"Just make sure to test it better next time," Vegeta reminded Bulma as he caught her hand again. "Last time you upgraded and built a new gravity machine, the damn thing blew up." He still had a slight scar on his side from the day of the masquerade ball.

She smiled at him, letting her pull her closer. "Mm, but then I wouldn't get to play nurse with you." She winked at him, but nodded, "I'll see what I can come up with. Maybe I'll bring Jenny back to help me, find a way to integrate magick attacks into the training program. Though, that might be asking for a long period of work without much sleep." She said, looking out of the window at the grey sky and the large snowflakes that had started to fall, "We are safe at the moment and it's still, technically, the holidays. Let's go curl up by the fire, I'm feeling all cuddly."

Vegeta closed his eyes for a moment as a hot blush hit his cheeks and Tora and Trunks snickered at him. "Woman, you try my patience," he growled, but got to his feet and took her hand to lead her into the family room. He could feel the vein throb in his temple as Tora made kissing noises at them and then fell into a fit of laughter with Trunks. "I'm going to kill them both," he grumbled as he settled himself and his mate down in front of the fire.

She looked over his shoulder and out the door, "They should know better than to snicker at the hand that feeds them." She felt a bit sheepish as she curled up in his embrace, looking at the fire. "Sorry. I should have been quieter about it. I just couldn't help myself." She turned and faced him, leaning on her shoulder as she looked at him. The look on his face was intense and she could tell his mind was still occupied. "I wish we didn't have to do things this way. Earth rules are stupid." She admitted as she wondered what it would be like if they lived on Planet Vegeta, under his protective rule.

"Don't worry about it," he brushed it off. "I'll just beat them for it in training later. I need an excuse to kick their asses anyway." He reclined on his side and pulled her down in front of him to wrap his arm around her waist. He nuzzled into her hair, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. "You know there's nothing I wouldn't do to protect you. To protect our family."

Bulma sighed happily, reaching her hand up to cup his cheek, brushing her thumb over the high cheekbones, "I know, but I just don't want you thinking that you have failed when you haven't."

He closed his eyes at her touch. "But I have failed you, Bulma," he said quietly. "Fasha should have never made it into this house. If I'd paid more attention I could have sensed her. If I knew anything about this damn magick, I could've gotten you out of that void myself."

"Vegeta," Bulma started, thinking over her words, "You can't judge yourself based on what you could have done with powers you don't have. The world is full of what ifs and if we all judged each other on what we could have done instead of what we did, that world would be a very disappointing place to live. You saved my life, Vegeta. That's all that matters when it comes down to us. There was no way we could have predicted they were going to strike out at us at that moment." She brushed her thumb over his lips, looking into his dark eyes, trying to will him to understand.

She closed her eyes and laid her head down on his arm, next to his as she reached up and traced the mark on his neck, "And I love you for who you are and all that you have done and will continue to do for us. No matter what. I know that if something should happen, you will be right there, doing what you can to save us."

He leaned into her touch. Her words were more right than she could have realized. He was going to figure this out somehow. He nearly shook his head. This was what he'd always feared. This was why he had never allowed himself to get close to anyone before he took Bulma as a mate. Love made you weak. It made you vulnerable. And it clouded your judgment. And here he was, not only with a mate to consider and protect, but an entire family. It was foolish, he knew that, but he would not change it now.

Vegeta cupped her face in his hand and pulled her closer to kiss her lips. His hand slid into her hair and fisted in the silky blue locks. "You are my everything," he whispered fiercely.

Bulma leaned into his touch as she smiled at him. "And you are mine," she said as she slid her hand up from his cheek and into his black locks, sighing at the silky feeling. She scratched lightly at his scalp for a moment, "I would go insane without you, I almost did."

"You will never be parted from me again," he vowed, his voice still low and fierce. "As long as there is still a breath in this body, you will never come to harm again. I swear it." He crushed his lips to hers and curled his tail possessively around her waist. She felt so good in his arms; he held her tighter to him, trying to memorize the feel of her body pressed against his. If he ever lost her, he didn't know what he would do. No, losing her was no longer an option in his mind. Losing anyone in their family was not an option. It was up to him to find a way to protect them.


	33. So Confused

Rose didn't know how much more of this she could take. Her every step felt numb, as though her legs were made of lead. She didn't know if she could do this anymore. She felt dead inside as she walked up the stairs to her apartment. The side of her face felt tight with the child's dried blood on it. Her white suit was ruined, covered in bloodstains. Her mouth tasted sour; she'd spent a good while throwing up after all the commotion had died down. All she wanted to do was take a hot shower and scrub her skin off, then crawl in bed and sleep for the next two weeks. Her hair felt heavy and just out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw chunks of, oh gods, what was that stuck in her hair? Brains? She gagged again as she stepped into her apartment. She locked the door behind her and fell back against it, sliding to the floor and covering her face with her hands.

Goku turned, a bright smile on his face, "Hi, Rose! Don't be scared! I kinda let myself in, I figured you must have been close to being off work, so I just stuck around. I missed you on Christmas, you know, and Sabriena said I should bring you something to eat because you were probably working and didn't get a chance to eat. It's those matsutake mushrooms. And, you know, I was kind of hoping you had an update on Goten's case. I know he's well taken care of and all, but you know." He paused as he saw her, his own blood running cold. "Oh my god. Rose! Rose are you alright?" He rushed over to her. She didn't even jump when she saw him. Usually when he did that, she'd shriek and jump two feet off the floor. Today, she just looked dead., "What happened? Are you hurt?!"

She stared at him for a second, her blue eyes flat. "I'm not hurt," she muttered, her throat dry. She stood, still pressing her back against the door. She knew she must have been a sight, but she really didn't care. The only thing replaying in her mind was that child's head practically exploding as the bullet ripped through it, the jerk of the little body in her arms.

She skirted around Goku as she pulled her jacket off and threw it in the trash. "You know, most people wait OUTSIDE if they want to see someone and don't come in until they're INVITED." She was feeling irritated, angry, frustrated. It wasn't Goku's fault, but suddenly him standing there in her apartment annoyed her. She didn't want to see anyone at that moment. "Seriously, Mr. Son, it's just inappropriate and rude."

Goku nearly recoiled from her cold attitude and harsh words, but reached out and caught her shoulder, "Hey, easy there, what's wrong? What happened to you?" He looked at her not knowing what to think, but this wasn't the Rose he'd come to know over the months that she worked his sons case, "Whose blood is it? Who was hurt?" He let go of her, seeing the dangerous look in her eye and he turned around to go to her sink and grabbed a clean dishcloth, wetting it with water. He went back to her, reaching out to her face and paused when she flinched, "May I?"

She drew a long breath through her nose and gave a sharp nod. She closed her eyes and pulled her glasses off as Goku gently wiped at the blood on her face. Normally she'd have been flustered at his touch, but not today. She swallowed, thinking over the day again. "A child. A little girl. Her father shot her as I carried her out to the car. I think he was aiming for me. A police officer was killed and another was hurt." A tear leaked from her eye at the fresh memory. Her employer was going to set her up with a counselor to help her deal with what had happened, but she didn't think that it would help much. Nothing was ever going to erase the memory of this day.

Goku looked furious, "He was aiming for you and hit an innocent little girl? His BABY?!" He hated the sound of both of those things. No one should be aiming a gun at Rose or a poor, innocent child. Horror and fury grew on his face. He didn't understand it. He didn't understand how a parent, least of all Chichi, could do that to someone who couldn't defend themselves. He wordlessly reached up and removed an unidentifiable chunk of flesh from her hair and went around her face cleaning her up.

He gently took her chin in his hands and tilting her head so he could wipe at the blood spatter on her neck, "You are too kind of a soul to have that terrible thing happen to you. Who is he? Did they get him?" He frowned, Rose was more than a case worker. She was his friend and anyone who threatened her was going to deal with him.

"He's dead. The other officer shot him. The little girl is dead, too," she said and her voice cracked as she spoke. She opened her eyes and looked at him. "I can't do this anymore, Goku," she whispered to him. Tears swam in her eyes, blurring her vision even further than it already was. "She was IN MY ARMS. I was getting her out of that place. The things they were doing to her, making her do, were horrible. All just to feed their drug habit." She drew a deep breath, looking away from him, her lips trembling. "I had her. She was leaving that place. And then..." She blinked slowly, more tears slipping from her eyes. "I'm starting to hate people. I really, really hate people."

Goku's eyes widened, "Drug habits? What were they making her do? A child that young can't work..." His blood drained out of his face as he realized the truth, "Oh Rose... no..." He shook his head, tears slipping from his eyes, "Rose, I know its gotta be hard for you, but you can't quit on these children. They cound on you. You were getting her out of there, it's probably more care that little girl had in a long time. If you stop, if you give up on them, how many more innocent children will have to suffer before help finds them? No child should die. No child should have to die by their parent's hand. No child should die as they are being rescued, but it's the darkest part of life that seems to happen the most often. Don't give up now Rose. Think of all the children you have helped. Think of all the children you can help. It was that man who pulled the trigger at his own child, not you. There's nothing you could have done." He lead her over to her couch and sat down before he pulled her into his lap. He wrapped his warm, strong arms around her, "Tell me what I can do to make it right."

"Hold me?" she whimpered and leaned into his neck, crying. There was something about the way he held her, his arms wrapped tightly around her, the protective sound of his voice. She felt safe in that moment. Goku just exuded this warm, safe energy to her and in that moment, there wasn't anything else in the world that she wanted more. She clutched at his shirt, sobbing against him. "I don't know how to handle it this time. I... I've never... h-had to deal with... something like this..."

Goku held his arms around her tightly, burying his face into the crook of her neck as he did, "It's not easy. Be it the first time you deal with death or any time for that matter. I've had friends tell me it gets easier, but that just means it gets easier to bury it. It's better to let it all out now and face your problem head on. Letting it sit in you is poison. Rose you can let it all out. I won't judge. I've done things in my life, had horrible things done to me. Please tell me. Just let it all out. I've got you, baby."

"It hurts," she sobbed. Her heart swelled when he called her "baby." Oh, if only she could come home to him every night and hear him speak to her like that. Maybe she could deal with it better. She was tired of being lonely. "The things people do to these children. Goku, you don't understand. You can't imagine." It was all coming back to her, all of it. The horrible things she'd seen in just a few years of working at this job. She chose this career to help people, to protect children who couldn't protect themselves, and now. Now she'd seen two of them die in the past couple weeks. "There was another boy on Christmas. His parents killed him, too. Over a cell phone! A goddamn cell phone!" She clapped her hand to her mouth at the curse that had slipped from her lips, but she didn't care much in that moment. She felt like cursing. She felt like screaming until her throat ripped. She wanted to throw things and just rage until she passed out because she felt entirely helpless. She could feel her muscles tensing and her whole body seemed to shake as he held her.

Goku stroked her back and shook his head, "I don't understand it either. There have been evils on this world, I wish I could tell you about, but they hurt innocent people, creatures. Just because they could. They were too obsessed with the power it brought them. Not all are lost causes, Vegeta, he turned around. And he's one of the few people I would ever trust with my children. He would do the right thing, no matter what the cost. He thinks better than I do and he may seem a little rough on the edges but this? Harming a child. He would be more furious than I am. There's no excuse for it Rose..." He sighed, "There's nothing in this world that makes what that man did to his little girl right. Nothing. It's not your fault. You went in there with the full intent to remove that girl from a harmful environment. And you know what? I've died before, to protect my son. The last thought I had, was the comfort of knowing my son was safe. That little girl you were saving, I'd bet her last mortal thought was of you, the stranger she didn't even know, trying to save her."

The thought of Goku dying scared her. She sniffled and leaned back, studying him. "You... You died? But you're here? How is that possible?" She didn't understand it at all. People didn't just come back from the dead. Of course, people weren't supposed to fly or have magick powers or heal broken bones in an instant either. "Was it Dende? Could we bring them back? The kids, the ones who died, the ones I failed. There's a way to bring them back?"

He chuckled, "Sorry, the dragon balls brought me back. Dende did tell you about those, right? Of course, he wasn't the Guardian of Earth when I was brought back, Kami was. My friends gathered them and wished me back from the dead, but the afterlife is a really nice place, I have to tell you. Great people up there. They treat you right. You have to meet Master Kai when you go, not that I want you too."

She remembered then, the dragonballs Dende had mentioned. The dragon statue that growled at her. "The dragon scares me," she said softly. "It growled at me." She swallowed. "Are the balls hard to find? Could, I mean, I'm off work for awhile now because of all this. Is there a way I could find them? I'd face the dragon if it meant I could give those kids another chance." She'd never given the afterlife much consideration. She wasn't entirely sure up until this point that there was an afterlife. She'd always just thought this life was, well, it. But maybe she could bring that little girl back and save her. Maybe she could save the baby boy who'd died on Christmas. To hell with counseling if she could fix everything that she couldn't prevent before.

Goku winced, "Actually, they are spread all across the world. In America, Antarctica, Europe, everywhere. And they are only activated a year after they've been used. We used them to save one of our own not long ago. They might be activated, but I'm not sure. You have to think, Rose. We've used them a lot to save the people of Earth. If the children have been brought back to life before, it can't happen again."

"Oh," Rose said sadly, her hope fading. She looked down at her lap. She felt an irritation in her again. Why mention it if there wasn't a way to use the dragon to help those kids? "Seems silly to me that a person could only be brought back once. Stupid dragon. Doesn't seem all that great and powerful to me." She bit irritatedly at her lip. She wanted to scream or do something. Shower. She still needed a shower. Her thoughts were coming a mile a minute again, trying to figure out an angle to use the dragon to help these kids. There didn't seem to be one. A deep frown crossed her face and she angrily picked at her fingernails. "To hell with that stupid dragon and the dragonballs."

"Rose," Goku said, he could feel her pain, her want for these kids, "The dragonballs can only do so much. If these kids were wished back, they would be placed back into that abusive life they had before and they would suffer all over again. It's because of people like you that make the difference. You make that child's life better by placing them in a home where they are loved. Free from harm and all that."

"No," she said, shaking her head, pressing her lips together. "No, I don't make a difference. All I do is come in and scrape up the pieces after it's all gone wrong. It doesn't take away what they've gone through. The pain they've felt." She swallowed and fixed him with a stare. "You know, you keep talking about how you've saved the world and Dende keeps talking about being its Guardian. Just what exactly do you all do? Because I'm not seeing it." She was still sitting in his lap, but she crossed her arms and leaned away from him. "I didn't see either of you there trying to stop this. A little girl is dead and there's not a damn thing anyone can do about it!"

Goku hugged her tighter, "I've seen the world end," He whispered, "Dende has seen mother nature at its worst before it's happened. Tusnamis that destroy coast lines, earthquakes, volcanos, asteroids. You wouldn't remember them because the dragon's fixed it all. It's just what we do. You make a difference. You make a difference in the way that matters. In the way that other people, normal people can see. Do you understand?"

"No, I don't understand!" she spat and got out of his lap. "What good is any of it? People still die, these kids still suffer at the hands of their own parents, and there's never enough to help them! It's never going to stop. Never. Sure, I save a handful of kids. But how many more need my help and I can't do anything for them?!" She could feel herself snapping as the reality of the day settled in. She started pacing in front of Goku, not even realizing she was doing it. She'd never felt so angry in her life.

Dende had felt a palpable disturbance in the earth and it concerned him. He knew something was wrong with Rose and hurried to her apartment as fast as he could. Now he stood outside the door, hearing every shouted word crystal clear. He carefully pushed the door open, she had forgotten to lock it. He nodded to Goku and looked to the broken creature before him, "If you want the honest, brutal truth, Rose, there are millions of kids out there that need your help, but you are only ever going to meet this small fraction of them in your lifetime." He could see the fury in her eyes, the way her muscles had tensed.

"Oh, Jesus! Don't you people know how to knock?!" she cried, throwing her hands up in the air. She glared at him, "What the hell are you doing here anyway? Let me guess, you were reading my mind again, weren't you? You need to knock it off! I'm sick of having to guard my thoughts all the time because I'm so damned worried about what you will think if you hear all the stuff in my head! That is so RUDE, Dende!"

He was about to joke that it was because she thought so loudly, but definitely not now. Not after this. "I was not reading your thoughts, Miss Rose. I felt something here, a shift in the aire. I am worried, concerned for you, Rose. What I say is true. The world is a big place for just one person to save everyone, but to the one life you do save, it means the world."

"Don't give me some philosophical crap. I work myself near to death and for what? FOR WHAT?! I can't even get the evidence I need to get Goten home! How am I supposed to save these kids from parents who are even worse than she is? I can't DO THIS anymore!"

Dende felt like he had been slapped. No one had ever, in his life, had ever talked to him that way. He grit his teeth, leveling her with a stare, "You find a way and you don't give up. If everything was easy to do, it wouldn't be worth doing. If only we all had the luxury to say we couldn't do it any more. I cannot. If I can't do my job, everything on this world will perish. Sooner or later. The world will become unbalanced. There are days I wonder if what I do has any effect at all. Watching worlds get swept away by water, wind, fire, plague, violence. The only thing I can do, is try to influence the Earth. Pushing a hurricane harmlessly out into sea, encouraging a rainstorm over a forest fire. All actions have consequences and there is a bigger picture to it all. My burden is that I can see that picture and everything I do has good and has bad. I push a hurricane out to sea where the poor sailors are left in its wake. A rainstorm picks up the wind and fire scatters to a nearby town. It isn't fair, but that's the way it has to be. It's the price we have to pay."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "That's real easy for you to say, isn't it?" she spat. "You get to hide away up there on the top of the world while you do your job. You're not the one down here in the middle of it, day in and day out, seeing the horrible things inflicted on these children. Kids starving, beaten, molested, neglected. Over and over again, because their parents are too lazy or are too strung out on drugs to give a shit about them. I don't see you standing here with blood on your shirt and brains stuck in your hair!"

Dende looked at her sadly, "There is more blood on my hands than you could ever know, Rose. It is true, I cannot see an individual child." He closed his eyes, feeling them out, "But as a whole, they cry out, their pain is my pain." He opened his eyes again, they were glassy with tears, "But I cannot do what you do, Rose. I need people like you in this world who are strong, who still care. Who cry for every single individual child they know or don't know. I need you and people like you to help me ease the pain of the world. You are stronger than I am, Rose, that you can manage such a feat."

"Strong?" she gasped. "You think I'm strong?" She nearly choked on the word. "Dende, I'm not strong! I feel like I'm hanging onto my sanity by my fingernails and no matter what I do, I'm never going to be able to make a difference! I feel completely useless!" Rose shook her head, her lip trembling, and she collapsed to sit on the floor and covered her face with her hands. "I'm not strong," she repeated and bawled into her hands.

Dende walked over to her, exchanging a concerned look with Goku before he looked down at Rose.

Goku perked up a moment later, his eyes going to the pictures of the kids on the wall. There were so many. He moved to sit next to Rose, "Dende's right you know. You are strong. So strong. Not strong like me though. Your strength comes from in here." He said, pressing a finger to her heart and then pointed at the wall, "And from them." He looked at each one, the kids vibrant and full of life, "They would say you are strong to have saved them and so many others. The ones that don't make it, they are your strength as well. They reinforce yourself and combined with the rest of them, you can do anything. The bad makes you appreciate the good, value it that much more."

Dende nodded, he thought he could understand what Goku was trying to convey to Miss Rose. He looked to the pictures of the children, "Where would they be without you? Does death not make each life you have yet to save, just that more precious to you?" He looked to her, "It isn't easy when you work a thankless job most of the time, but it is the right thing to do."

Goku gently nudged Rose's shoulder, "It'll never be thankless if you keep me around. If you want, I will tell you every day from now on. Thank you. For everything you are doing. For everything you have balanced on your plate at once and just Thank you. You don't have to do this alone, Rose."

It warmed her heart immensely to hear him say thank you. That meant the world to her. But oh, if only he knew how deep his words cut her, too. She was alone. So very alone. She wrapped her arms around herself as she cried, but forced herself to look up at the pictures on the wall. Every shining face, the happy endings for the few children who got the homes and love that they deserved. She shuddered and choked as she tried to calm herself. She'd never felt this loneliness before, not until Dende and Goku had come into her life. Now when she was away from them, the silence of her apartment seemed to overwhelm her and make her very aware of the emptiness of the place. She slowly closed her eyes, more tears spilling down her cheeks. She felt so selfish in that moment. She couldn't give up on the kids and she couldn't have someone special like that in her life because she didn't have time for a relationship.

Goku rubbed at her back, watching as Dende slipped past them and into the kitchen. The sounds of the coffee maker started up a few moments later. The Saiyan looked down at Rose and pulled her back into his lap, "Hey now, easy there." He said cautiously, "You are an amazing, strong person. Kind and loving. Extremely dedicated. These children mean so much to you, they are almost like family at the end of your investigations." He let his fingers slip into her hair, "Just relax and have a talk with us."

Rose leaned her head on his shoulder, her crying easing as she listened to his gentle voice. His fingers in her hair soothed her as her body seemed to go limp against him. She didn't know if she had the strength to sit up right anymore. She felt like a total ass. "I'm sorry," she sniffled and wiped at her eyes. "It wasn't your fault. What happened today, I mean." She was so mad at herself now for snapping at her friends. She looked up as Dende approached with mugs of coffee in his hands. She took one from him and gave him an apologetic frown. "Dende, I'm so sorry," she whispered, fighting the urge to cry again, but this time it was for a completely different reason. Neither of them deserved to be treated the way she had just treated them. They had done nothing to warrant her anger, her harsh words. "I didn't mean to shout at you. Please forgive me."

Dende gave her a small smile and sat next to her, offering Goku the other mug, "Rose, it is alright. You can snap at us. As long as you do not take it out on the people you are trying to help. That has been building up for a while now, hasn't it? Do you feel any better?"

She pressed her lips tightly together and nodded emphatically. Without giving it a second thought, she reached for him and hugged him tightly for a moment before she pulled back and hugged Goku as well. "I love you guys," she murmured. Her eyes went wide the next second, "I - I mean I love having you guys as my friends." She covered her face with her hands. "This is never going to stop."

Goku smiled down at her, finally relaxing, "We love you too, Rose. You are very special to us." He chuckled, "You want to yell some more, get it out of your system? I think Dende and I can handle it." He leaned down and kissed the top of her head, "You don't have to worry about being awkward around us. I'm not much different, you know."

Rose's breath caught in her throat when he kissed her head and she was glad she had her face covered. She waited a moment for her blush to fade before she slowly lowered her hands and shook her head. "No, I think I got it all out of my system," she sighed. She sat back and ran her fingers through her hair, her hand sticking in the still matted strands. She whimpered again and slowly placed her hands back in her lap. "I didn't mean to take it out on you all." She looked nervously at Goku, "I really need a shower. Maybe, if you could hang out for a minute, we could all eat some of that food Sabriena sent over?" She wasn't really hungry, but it seemed like the best way to apologize to them for being hateful.

Goku laughed out loud, warm and comforting, "Chichi's done worse. This is nothing. You take it out on me if you need to. This is nothing new. You go take a shower, Dende and I will go ahead and reheat the leftovers. Maybe even make some pasta to go along with it? Sabriena's been teaching me!" He smiled, winking at her, "You go on and relax. We'll take care of everything.

She hugged them both once more before she headed to the bathroom.

The hot water felt amazing after the day she'd had. She just stood there, letting it run over her face, trying to still her brain. Even when she was able to stop thinking about that child for a moment, Goku's face swam in her mind's eye, his bright smile, his strong embrace, his comforting words. He was so handsome and that body. She remembered the day last summer when they'd gone swimming, the water running down his bare chest, the shiver she drew from him as she touched his back.

"Stoppit," she hissed at herself, slapping both hands to her face, "Stoppit, stoppit, stoppit. He's married." She scrubbed at her hair, using more shampoo than usual until her whole head was a sudsy, foamy mess. How could she ever approach him about how she felt?_ 'Hey, Goku, I know you're married and all, but why don't you throw it all away to come and comfort clumsy, neurotic me?'_ she thought to herself. Oh yeah, THAT would work.

And what about Dende? Where did he fall in all of this mess? He'd been there for her, too, when she needed comfort. He came to see her on Christmas, he found her a piano to play, he calmed her when no one else could, he carried her through the Christmas lights. He understood her in a way that no one else did. And gods help her, he was strikingly handsome, too. But they were so different. Dende was an alien. He LOOKED alien. Goku didn't. But he wasn't available.

She rinsed the soap from her hair and leaned her head against the shower wall, screwing up her face. "I love you both," she whined quietly.

* * *

Dende helped Goku get out the leftovers, taking over the microwave as he reheated everything and watched on as Goku began making pasta. He chuckled, "You mark me Goku, sooner or later there is going to be another couple of cooks aside from Sabriena. Goten's got a pretty good taste for the craft." He paused as he and Goku heard a loud _THUNK_ from the bathroom and they both dropped what they were doing to run to the bathroom door, "ROSE!"

"Oh... Gods..." Rose gasped, pressing a hand to her back. "I'm okay!" she called, hearing voices on the other side of the door. She was flat on her back in the middle of her bathroom floor. She'd slipped on the tile and twisted as she fell. Her back was killing her. She tried to sit up and sucked air through clenched teeth at the pain that shot through her back. She tried to reach her towel that was hanging on the back of the door, but it was way too out of reach. What was she going to do now? Here she was, completely naked and completely helpless. She bit her bottom lip and whimpered again. She didn't have a choice. She wasn't getting off the floor anytime soon without help. "Guys?" she asked in a high-pitched, nervous voice. "I... I need help." She swallowed and closed her eyes. "I fell and I'm sort'a... stuck."

Dende looked at Goku, sharing a look with him. He pushed the door and shut it firmly behind them, "What do you need?" He paused as he saw her bare form on the ground, "Oh...OH!" He pulled the towel from the wall and covered her in front of the both of them, "Oh Rose, I'm sorry. Here, let me help you." He knelt next to her, his hands glowing, "Your back!"

She covered her face with her hands. "I'm sorry! I think I twisted something in my back when I fell!" Her face was burning hot; she wanted to crawl in a hole and die. She felt Dende's healing energy seeping into her back, loosening the muscles that had twisted up. "Oh god, Dende," she breathed, the sound almost a moan as she felt her back healing. She peeked through her cracked fingers and scowled up at Goku who was leaning over her. "Stop laughing! It's not funny!" she growled through clenched teeth and slapped at his shin.

Goku couldn't help but smile at her, "I can't help it! I'm just glad you are okay! Man, I mean, we were really worried that something happened to you!" He didn't even see her nakedness, but he saw the blush on her face. Sabriena had been trying to teach him how to think how other people think. Normal people didn't care much for nakedness, but he really didn't see what the big deal was. "Looks like Dende's got this, I'll be back in the kitchen if you need anything! I'm glad you're feeling better!"

Dende laughed as Goku left, shutting the door behind him. He smiled and healed her with one hand, covering her with the towel with the other, "You should be more careful. You are lucky Goku and I were here."

"Oh my god, Dende, I'm so embarrassed," she said, taking the towel and wrapping it more securely around her as she carefully got to her feet. She was still red in the face. "I'm gonna go get dressed now," she said quietly and slipped out of the bathroom and headed for her bedroom. She could hear Goku still chuckling in the kitchen. She dried and dressed quickly in her bedroom, pulling on a T-shirt and stretchy pants. She didn't care what she looked like, as long as she was covered. She returned to the living room and put her glasses back on. "Well that was, ah, interesting," she said nervously to them.

Dende had a purple blush on his cheeks and a second later, his eyes went wide and he elbowed Goku who was about to say something about he was naked most of the time. He smiled over at her, "Don't worry about. Healers like me and fighters like him. We have to see lots of things in the field. It's professional."

"Doesn't make it any less embarrassing," she muttered and went to sit at her little table where they'd set out dinner. She heaved a sigh, "Today is NOT my day."


	34. Happy Birthday, Goku!

Sabriena was the first to wake up that morning on the last day of February, before the sun had even risen above the horizon. The cabin was silent, cold, just like the forest that surrounded it. The fire had gone out in the night and she shivered against Tien. He stretched and yawned, but she quickly clapped a hand over his mouth, shushing him. "Don't wake Goku," she breathed, casting a glance over her shoulder at the sleeping Saiyan who was uncharacteristically curled up in a ball on his side, hiding under the thick blankets and heavy fur quilt. Usually he was sprawled out, taking up half the bed.

Tien snickered quietly, "We could run a freight train through this cabin and he wouldn't wake up."

Sabriena shoved at him to get up and she followed, turning first to carefully tuck the blankets around Goku. "I'll get the fire going," she said quietly, "You go fire up the hot tub and bring in the eggs?"

Tien nodded as he pulled on heavier clothes and his cloak before slipping out into the wintery morning.

Sabriena was extra mindful of her cooking that morning, wanting everything to be perfect, and Dog was more than happy to receive a few omelets Sabriena deemed "imperfect." She grabbed a wooden tray and piled it high with plates of pancakes, omelets, bacon, and a steaming cup of sugared coffee before she handed it to Tien, who had long since returned inside the cabin to watch her prepare breakfast. The fire was crackling in the fireplace, the heat spreading through the cabin. Sabriena crawled onto the bed and rubbed at Goku's arm, kissing at his jaw. "Hey, sexy. Wake up. We've got a surprise for you," she crooned, barely able to contain her excitement.

Goku blinked sleepily, cringing in anticipation of the bite of the morning chill, but blinked again when he realized the air was warm, pleasant and he could smell something delicious. He yawned and looked around spying the tray of food Tien carried, "Morning," he said cautiously as he looked at both of his mates and sat up slowly. He was a little confused. Yesterday had felt like he was being punished for something, every time he finished one chore and tried to get into the warm house, they would push him back out into the cold with some other task, "What's up? What's the occasion for this?"

Sabriena giggled and nipped at his ear, "You're so funny." But when Goku blinked at her, wide-eyed, she realized he was serious. "Goku, it's your birthday! Happy Birthday, Handsome!" she cried, hugging him.

Tien set the tray on Goku's lap when he sat up. "Happy Birthday, Goku," he smiled. Sabriena wiggled around in the bed to sit next to Goku a little better and Tien sat on the edge of the bed. "Sabriena's got a whole day planned out for you," Tien said.

Goku looked down at the food in his lap and back at his two mates, "You mean you guys aren't mad at me?" He smiled and looked down at the food, his stomach grumbled loudly at him, "Oh wow! It's my birthday! Thank you you guys! I didn't even remember! How did you know!"

Tien and Sabriena shared a confused look. "Mad at you? Why would we be mad at you?" Tien asked.

Sabriena rubbed at Goku's back, "We aren't mad at you, baby. Now eat up before your breakfast gets cold." She settled back against the headboard, running over her plans for the day in her head. "You should know that I never forget a birthday, silly."

Goku inhaled the scent of his food deeply before he tucked into it, grabbing up his fork and taking a bite of his omelets, he couldn't stop the moan that made it out of his mouth and his jaw hurt as he slowly chewed his food. He swallowed before he looked at them, "Well yeah, it seemed like you guys were coming up with last minute ideas to keep me out in the cold. I was thinking I must have done something wrong to make you guys mad." He felt a shiver run through his back at the memory of it. He had finished chopping wood and tried to come inside to get warm only to be shoved back outside once more with another task to complete. He smiled at them, "You guys promise you weren't mad at me?"

Tien looked guilty and Sabriena groaned. "Oh, Goku, we weren't mad," she said with a slight laugh, "Although, I guess we probably made it seem that way, huh? We were trying to plan your birthday without you overhearing! I'm so sorry, baby. We were just trying to surprise you."

"We should've come up with something better than that to keep you out of the house," Tien added. "Sorry." He was worried now that Goku would be upset with them. This really wasn't how he had imagined the day going.

Goku laughed, "Thats okay! Dont be sorry! I'm looking forward to this! No ones really done anything for my birthday for ages! This means the world to me! I can't believe you guys planned an entire day! I cant wait!" He leaned forward and kissed Sabriena on the cheek before leaning over and hugging Tien tightly before he tucked back into his hot food. He looked over at them and between bites he asked, "Aren't you going to eat?" He took another bite of an omelet, it melted in his mouth, with bits of venison and some vegetables from the garden it was heaven.

"I'll have some more coffee," Tien said, getting up to grab his cup. "I already ate. So did Dog. Sabriena gave us the ones she thought weren't perfect enough for YOU." He snickered and winked as he said it. He filled two coffee cups and brought them over to the bed, handing one to Sabriena.

"Tien's got the hot tub heating up. You wanna go soak for awhile after breakfast?" Sabriena asked as she blew across the top of her coffee before she took a sip.

Goku's eyes lit up and he looked over at his husband, "You got the fire started? And all the ice off of it?" At Tien's nod, Goku smiled wider, "Sounds great you guys! Thank you so much! You're gonna soak with me right? Hot tub is really lonely without good company!" He tucked in, eating the pancakes, moaning at the taste, "Oh my god you guys. Seriously, this is the best ever. This alone is more than I expected! Which I forgot, so I wasn't expecting anything! I'm just so relieved you guys aren't mad at me! What are we doing after the hot tub? I sure hope we stay indoors out of the cold!" He laughed and finished off his breakfast and set it aside, "I'm ready!"

Sabriena smiled and got out of the bed, looking out the window. "Oh god, it's snowing again," she muttered. "We're just gonna have to run for the hot tub, boys." She peeled her clothes off, grinning at them. "I'll race ya."

Tien shook his head as he undressed. "No way. I'm not walking barefoot through the snow to get in that hot tub. I'll fly to it."

"Spoilsport," Sabriena muttered. "Come on, Goku. It'll only be cold for a second."

Goku grinned and nodded, pulling back the covers and taking off his boxers, moving to pick up Sabriena, "Allow me!" He took a breath as he opened up the door to the outside. The world was quiet around them, the chill in the air rushing over him like a bucket of cold water, but something about having his mates with him, naked and with the promise of a hot tub soak seemed to make it all the better. He quickly jumped into the air flying the short distance to the hot tub and lowered them into it. He let go of Sabriena and sank into the water until his eyes were just above the boiling water, he groaned in appreciation, closing his eyes and letting the steam and hot water penetrate him down to his very core. This was heaven.

Tien lowered himself into the water on Sabriena's other side, shivering in the cool air. He sighed as he relaxed into the hot water. "Oh gods, yessss." Sabriena laughed at them. "Now get out and roll around in the snow!"

Tien let out a bark of a laugh, "HA! Yeah right! You do it."

Sabriena shrugged, "Okay."

She went to climb over the edge of the tub, but Tien grabbed her and pulled her back into the water. "Don't. You'll make yourself sick."

She scowled at him and crossed her arms. "I never get to have any fun," she pouted.

Tien moved her to sit in Goku's lap. "Control your woman," he teased.

"I don't think this one can be controlled." He said, giving his husband a wink. Goku wrapped his arms around her and buried his face into her hair, "Don't go out and get all cold. I'll have to warm you up again." He nibbled at her neck, letting himself relax into the hot water. He let out a sigh, "You guys. This is fantastic." He smiled over at Tien and scooted closer to him in the water until they were sitting side by side. Goku couldn't stop the groan escaping his throat as Sabriena squirmed enticingly in his lap, "Easy now." He laughed, "You know I can't control myself around you two." He leaned down and nipped at her neck affectionately.

Sabriena giggled and squirmed in his lap. "Impatient," she playfully scolded and shot a wink at Tien. Goku had no idea what he was in for after this little soak in the hot tub.

Tien cleared his throat and looked away, unable to hide the blush that touched his nose and cheeks. He slid down in the water a little bit and leaned his head back on the edge of the tub, staring up at the snow that was falling. It dissolved in the steam above the hot tub just before it could hit them. This was perfect. The whole world seemed to have gone quiet. He closed his eyes and sighed contentedly. His hand reached for Goku's beneath the water and he entwined their fingers together, just content to sit quietly with his husband and wife for a moment. He turned his head and pressed a kiss to Goku's shoulder without saying a word.

Sabriena turned in Goku's lap, wiggling a little more than was necessary and settled her head on his other shoulder, throwing an arm around his neck. "We just want you to have a good birthday," she purred. She lightly traced the mark on his neck with her finger, smiling at the feel of the raised symbol on his skin.

Goku shivered at her touch, his hand entwined with Tien's. He wrapped his arm securely around Sabriena's waist and he sank deeper into the water. The hot liquid, his two mates, "I couldn't ask for a better birthday already. It stuns me to think you guys planned all of this for me." He looked out at the cold world around them. If he had a hot tub he could stay in the entire time, this winter thing wouldn't be so bad. Still, he wasn't looking forward to getting out of the hot tub. Maybe if he powered up a little bit, it would keep the chill of the snow away from him. "What's after this?" he asked, letting the heat seep into his soul and his eyes drooped down as he leaned back. "We could just stay in here until winter's over," he muttered.

Tien chuckled at that. "Fine with me," he murmured.

"Oh, you'll just have to wait and see what's next," Sabriena smiled. She kissed along his jaw, his chin until she finally captured his lips with hers. She cupped his cheek in her hand, looking at his half-open eyes. He looked so happy and relaxed in the hot water. She hated the idea of him having to rush through the snow to get back inside the cabin. "You could just instant transmission us back inside," she suggested. "Whenever you're ready for your next surprise. I don't want you to be cold today, baby."

Tien shifted a bit next to Goku, thinking about their next 'gift.' He couldn't deny he was looking forward to it, even if it did send a hot blush to his face every time he thought about it.

Goku almost whined but he remembered the warm cabin with the hot fire crackling merrily inside. He still pouted, "Oh alright, I suppose I'm ready. We've been soaking for the better part of an hour I guess." He let Tien grasp his arm and wrapped another around Sabriena before he pressed two fingers to his forehead, concentrating for a moment and the next they were sitting on the floor of the cabin in front of the fire. Goku laughed out loud, "Nailed it!"

Tien threw his head back and laughed as Sabriena giggled and grabbed some towels. She dropped one over Tien's face before she crouched behind Goku and wrapped one around his shoulders, rubbing at him to dry his skin.

Tien stood and dried off quickly before he wrapped the towel around his waist and grabbed up a bottle of lavender oil he'd set near the fire earlier.

Sabriena grabbed up her own towel and wrapped it around herself, tugging on Goku's elbow. "Come with me," she said and lead him over to the bed. She sat down on it with her back against the headboard. "Lay down on your stomach," she said, and patted her crossed legs, "You can lay your head in my lap."

Goku tilted his head in curiosity, but went to the bed and crawled onto it, sighing deeply as he laid his head in Sabriena's lap. He turned his head so his cheek was on her leg and he peered up at her, nuzzling into her skin. "So, what now guys?" he asked. Heat was starting to pool in his nether regions, he had a good feeling about what was to come next. He sighed happily, "I have to say guys, this is already the best birthday anyone could ever ask for. I'm so happy to have you guys. Really." He wrapped his arms around Sabriena. It had to be fate. If he hadn't found them, Chichi would still be abusing Goten and no one would know. He hated himself for not noticing. He hoped he would get to see his son soon. He shook his head. His son was safe and in a good home. Rose assured him it was fine.

"We love you," Sabriena said and threaded her fingers through Goku's hair. She smiled as he purred at her touch. She loved that sound, like a big cat purring his contentment.

Tien moved to sit over Goku, straddling the backs of his thighs and poured a healthy measure of the hot oil into his hand. He rubbed his hands together and placed them on Goku's back, massaging the already warm muscles. He worked his thumbs into the back of Goku's neck, his shoulders, taking his time to pay attention to every bit of his husband's skin. The scent of lavender was heavy in the air and Tien smiled as he ran his hands down Goku's back, his skin shining with the warm oil.

Sabriena rubbed at Goku's scalp, scratching it lightly with her nails, letting the long strands of coal black hair slip through her fingers. She smiled softly down at him. "How's that, handsome? That feel good?"

Goku had been wrong. THIS was heaven, his wife's hands combing through his hair, massaging his scalp. Oh, he could die happy on that feeling alone. But then his husband started rubbing warm, lavender scented oil into his muscles. He couldn't stop the moan that escaped his lips as he just relaxed into the bed, feeling strong hands working into the knots of his muscles, working them lose in the heat of his grasp. "Oh wow," he murmured, "That feels amazing." He snuggled deeply into Sabriena's lap, smelling her scent, warm and safe. He hugged her close, letting his eyes drift shut as Tien found a particularly stubborn knot of muscle, "Thank you guys. Really. Thank you." It was so wonderful already. Nothing could make it better.

Tien smiled and rubbed at Goku's lower back. His muscles felt tense, the stress from everything with his son seemed to be weighing on him even more than Tien had realized. He soothed his thumbs over the muscles, working them loose. He scooted back just a bit, sliding his hands over Goku's ass, rubbing firmly at the muscles there.

Sabriena felt Goku jump slightly. "Shh, love, just relax," she said softly, brushing her hand over his forehead, pulling his bangs back away from his face, running her fingers through his hair some more as Tien rubbed at the rounded muscles, squeezing at the backs of his thighs, occasionally adding a bit more oil to his hands as he worked.

Goku didn't know what to think when Tien grabbed his ass, not to part it like he did in their bouts of passion, but to massage it. It felt amazing, he admitted to himself with a blush. It just all felt good. He bit his lip as he felt himself stiffening against the soft bed sheets as Tien continued and for some reason, he felt embarrassed about that. This was supposed to be relaxing. They didn't want to do anything like that now, did they? He stifled his moan and groaned into Sabriena's lap appreciatively, losing himself in Tien's hands, the way he worked his tense muscles. He murmured, "That feels amazing..."

Tien rubbed the rest of the way down the backs of Goku's legs, smiling to himself. This was one of Sabriena's best ideas yet. He looked up and smiled at her. She looked so content in that moment, knowing they were focusing all their attention on Goku, giving him the best birthday they knew how. Sure, Sabriena had the money to buy him expensive gifts or take him out to a fancy dinner, but they thought this would mean so much more to their husband. Tien swallowed hard as he reached Goku's ankles and finally withdrew his touch.

"Turn over, love," Sabriena said to Goku and playfully tickled the side of his neck.

Goku swallowed hard, suddenly shy, "Ah, give me a moment, I might have enjoyed that more than you wanted me to." He laughed, lifting his head and looking at them, but at their looks of, "really" he sighed and turned over, his head on Sabriena's lap, a bright red blush on his cheeks as his member stood up proudly from its nest of dark curls. He turned his head, not knowing why he was suddenly shy. Perhaps the fact that his mates were trying to give him a special day and all he could think about was sex. He, very briefly, thought of Chichi's words to him long ago.

Sabriena smiled down at Goku, cupping his face in her hands and soothed her thumbs over the heated blush on his cheekbones. "I didn't know Tien was THAT good at massages," she giggled. She massaged his face for a moment as Tien poured more oil into his hands and started rubbing Goku's feet, pressing his thumbs into the arches, his heels.

He had to will his own body not to react at the sight of Goku. This was about his birthday and Tien didn't want to take away from the attention they were supposed to be giving Goku.

Sabriena leaned over and retrieved the bowl of strawberries she'd placed under the bed. "Hungry?" she asked Goku, tracing one of the pieces of bright red fruit over his lips.

Goku couldn't stop the whimper that escaped from his lips. First the hot tub, now this? An amazing, hot (temperature wise) massage AND being fed at the same time. His cock throbbed in anticipation of it all. It was all he could do to nod at Sabriena, opening his mouth, tongue darting out to taste the sweet fruit she teased past his lips. "Gods, what are you doing to me?" he asked, a fraction of a second before he realized he spoke it out loud.

Sabriena popped the strawberry into Goku's mouth and picked up another one, running her fingers through his hair once more with her free hand.

Tien slowly worked his way up Goku's legs, massaging at his thighs, his eyes glancing every now and then at Goku's hardened length. 'Not yet, Goku,' he thought to himself. He reached Goku's hips, carefully making sure not to touch the sensitive flesh before him, and ran his hands up Goku's abs. He paused to get more oil before slicked his hands over Goku's chest.

"Goku," Sabriena crooned, "Relax. Just enjoy this. You're tensing up, baby." She offered another strawberry to him.

Goku groaned, but listened to Sabriena's words, accepting the strawberry in his mouth, the flavor bursting upon his tongue as he did. It was amazing. He tried to make himself let go of his tension, let himself enjoy it. He focused on that, the feeling of his muscles being worked, knots being massaged out, he let out a deep sigh, happily chewing away as Tien worked into the muscles of his abdomen. This was relaxing massage, no sexual meaning behind it. Just pure bliss and it was incredible, Goku had never even considered this aspect before, "Tien..." He moaned, "So good."

Tien smiled again as he worked his hands over Goku's chest, his shoulders. He moved to Goku's left side and massaged his arm, curling his fingers around his bicep, feeling the muscles finally relaxing. "Gimme a bite," he said to Sabriena and she popped a strawberry into his mouth. "Mmmm," he hummed, chewing as he kept working at Goku's arm. He worked all the way down to Goku's fingertips before he moved to Goku's other side. The towel around his waist brushed over Goku's length and he smirked as Goku gave the tiniest jump. "Relax," Tien said softly.

Sabriena was still feeding him strawberries as Tien massaged his right arm. Nearly all of Goku's body had been rubbed down with the hot oil and Tien met Sabriena's eyes as she winked at him. She looked back down to Goku. "What would you like now, love? I think Tien might've missed a spot."

Goku gasped and moaned, lifting his head to look at Tien, his dark eyes connecting with his, "Please, Tien. Please." He gasped out as Sabriena fed him another strawberry. The pleasure of the food, the pleasure of Tien's hands on his sensitive body; it was almost too much to take. He keened as his length throbbed against him, smearing a bead of precum over his lower abdomen. "Please, Tien. I ache for you. "

Tien wiped his hands on his towel and moved between Goku's legs. He grasped Goku's length as a slight blush touched his cheeks and carefully ran his tongue up the hot, hard shaft. He wrapped his lips around the head and suckled gently, slowly swirling his tongue over it. Tien began to slide his hand up and down the long shaft, being mindful not to grip too tightly. He wanted to make it last, for Goku to just lay back and enjoy himself. He shifted to lay down on his stomach, leisurely pleasuring Goku, loving the pants and moans issuing from Goku's throat.

Goku let his head drop back, a low moan forced from his throat as Tien's hot mouth closed around him, "Oh gods...Tien..." He tried to buck his hips up, to go faster, but Tien held him down, and he kept a slow and steady pace. Goku's eyes flickered up to Sabriena's, he felt a blush creeping up over his cheeks, "I..." He moaned as Tien's tongue swept over his head, and he looked back down as Tien settled between his legs, oh gods, the way his lips stretched over Goku's cock, it was hot, so hot. "What about you guys?" He asked, bucking up, keening.

Sabriena shook her head, smiling down at him. "Today is about you, baby," she said softly.

Tien placed his other hand on Goku's lower stomach, pressing him down on the bed. He slowed his stroke, licking at the tip of Goku's erection, swallowing down the drops of precome that had formed there.

"Relax," Sabriena purred, biting into a strawberry and painting it over her lips before she leaned down to kiss him. She pulled away after a moment, still speaking softly to him, "Just enjoy it. Savor it."

Goku gasped out as he leaned up, trying to chase after Sabriena's lips, the smell and exquisite flavor of the strawberries on his tongue.

Tien reached for a strawberry and bit into it, enjoying the sweet fruit. He ran the other half over Goku's cock, watching the Saiyan's reaction as the cool fruit left a trail of juice on his hot flesh.

He gasped out as Tien ran the strawberry juice over his hot, feverish cock, the member twitching against Tien's grasp, "Oh gods… please... Please, Tien." He reached up with his hands, cupping the back of his love's head, his eyes have lidded, "Please, let me kiss you."

Tien finished off the strawberry before he lowered his head to lick and suck at Goku's cock again. The flavor of strawberry mixed deliciously with Goku's essence and he couldn't stop the moan that rumbled up from his throat. The way Goku was begging for it drove Tien nuts. He captured the blunt head in his mouth once more, sucking just a little harder. He had to remind himself to calm down.

Sabriena cupped Goku's face in her hands again and lowered her lips to his, kissing him softly before she slid her tongue into his mouth, the taste of strawberries strong on his tongue. She kissed him long and passionately, moaning softly against his lips. Her hands slid from his face, down his throat and over his chest to tease lightly at his nipples as she continued to kiss him.

Goku was being driven insane. He couldn't stand it, he felt his orgasm brewing up, each kiss, each lick, flick of the wrist, driving him closer and closer to the edge. He gasped into Sabriena's mouth, the scent and taste of strawberries becoming his whole world. He thrust up into Tien's mouth, slow and leisurely. He felt himself starting to crest, moaning into Sabriena's mouth, wrenching himself from her as he cried out his release, his hot cock twitching in Tien's mouth.

Tien drank him down thirstily, thoroughly loving the sensation of Goku's essence splashing over his tongue, the salty sweet taste of it mixing with the strawberry. He sucked hard, determined to draw out every last drop and gripped Goku at the base of his shaft tightly, drawing his hand up to milk out the last bits of cum. He swallowed harshly and smirked.

Sabriena smiled down at Goku as he panted in her lap. His body seemed limp and she brushed away pieces of hair from his forehead. "Love you, handsome."

Tien sat up, the smirk still on his lips. "So, having a good birthday so far?"

Goku laughed, reaching out to tug Tien up to lay next to him, "Its the best birthday ever." He felt warm and content, he couldn't stop the yawn that worked its way out of his body, he was entirely relaxed and happy, "I couldn't ask for a better way to spend my birthday to spend with my mates." He hugged them close and arm wrapped around each of them. He leaned up and kissed Tien's lips, tasting strawberries and himself on those lips. He sighed happily, "Thank you. Both of you."

* * *

Tien sat back in his chair, groaning loudly. "Oh man, I ate too much."

Sabriena had outdone herself once again, cooking a huge feast with all of Goku's favorites. "Then I'm doing my job," she stated proudly. She shot him a wink, "Gotta fatten you up for the kill."

"I KNEW IT," Tien shot back jokingly.

Sabriena threw her head back and laughed. She stood and cleared away the empty plates quickly, waving a hand at Goku to sit back down as he rose to help her. She reached under the counter and pulled out the large chocolate cake she'd hidden there. She turned around and smiled proudly, "Can't have a proper birthday without cake!"

Goku's eyes went wide, a smile breaking out over his face, "Oh wow! Is that chocolate?! Really Sabriena! You've done too much! You guys have really spoiled me today!" He laughed as she set the cake on the table, "Really! You have to let me help you do something today!" He laughed before he leaned forward and took a deep breath, the rich smell of chocolate making his stomach growl as if he hadn't just eaten an enormous dinner.

"It's nowhere near enough," she answered as she sliced the cake and handed pieces to Goku and Tien. "We need an ice cream machine," she thought aloud. She cut a piece for herself and sat down.

"I should've saved room," Tien muttered, but took a bite of the cake anyway. It was rich and moist, easily the best cake he'd ever had. "Woman, you're trying to kill me." He shook his head and looked at Goku, "Don't do it, man. Don't eat it. You won't be able to stop." And he popped another large bite into his mouth.

Goku laughed, "You should be thanking me then, I'll save you from getting fat!" He took a bite and had to pause. It was delicious. As if he expected anything less. There were little morsels of chocolate in each bite, the cake was fluffy and moist and the frosting was the kind that didn't tickle the back of his throat. "Oh my gods, Sabriena," he moaned. He forked up another piece, though he could probably eat the entire cake in one bite. He chuckled at the disapproving look that Sabriena would no doubt give him, "Man, how are we going to get you anything for your birthday? After this, it's going to be hard to get you something that compares." He smiled and leaned into her for a moment before he sat upright, "Really guys. Best birthday ever. Thank you! I'll never forget this. "

Tien finished his cake faster than he should have and sat back, absolutely stuffed. "No more food," he groaned, leaning his head back. "Seriously, Sabriena, you bring out one more thing to eat and I'm gonna get sick."

She giggled and finished off her cake, serving Goku a couple more large slices until she was certain he was satisfied.

"Finished?" Tien asked, sitting up straight again. He smiled when Goku nodded. "Alright, one more surprise then." He got up and went to the chest at the end of the bed and withdrew a large gift, wrapped in brown paper. Sabriena was beaming, her eyes dancing as Tien brought the gift over. "Happy Birthday," Tien said, handing the gift to Goku and kissed his temple.

Goku was absolutely floored. "Okay, now you guys are really spoiling me! On top of all that, you got me a gift!?" He grinned widely at them and tore into the paper, shredding it like a little kid on Christmas morning. His eyes widened as he recognized the splash of white among dark fur, running his hands over the incredibly soft and warm gift. He looked back over at Tien, wonder in his eyes, "Is this?" He stood up and let the fur open up all the way, revealing a handmade fur cloak, just like Tien's. Tears came to his eyes."Oh, WOW! TIEN! You made me a cloak!" He immediately wrapped it around his shoulders, Tien's scent wrapping around him like a blanket and he inhaled deeply before smiling over at his husband and wife, "You guys are amazing. Just AMAZING." He went over to Tien, hugging him tightly, catching his lips in a breathtaking kiss before he turned and enveloped Sabriena into his arms, the cloak swallowing her up.

Tien beamed with pride at Goku's reaction. He knew how much Goku loved to steal his cloak. Now the Saiyan had one of his own. "Now quit taking mine," he teased.

Sabriena giggled as Goku hugged her and she kissed him fiercely. She stepped back, admiring it. "It fits you well," she smiled. "Tien did that all on his own. He's been working on it for a long time. It's the first bear you took when you went hunting that day you found Zip."

"You sure you like it?" Tien asked, a smile pulling at his lips. He knew the answer. He just wanted to hear it again. Sabriena snickered at him.

"No," Goku said, laughing at Tien's expression, "I love it." He pulled Tien into their embrace, kissing him again, "But not as much as I love you." He leaned down and kissed Sabriena, "Or you." He marveled at the cloak, running his fingertips over the fur a moment before looking back at Tien, "I promise, I won't take your cloak any more. Except on those really really cold days." He laughed and took off his cloak and went to lay it over his side of the bed, he was going to be sleeping warm tonight, warmer. Hard to get cold in a bed with his mates. He turned back and drew them into another embrace, nuzzling one mating mark and then the others, "Why don't you two go get comfy in bed, I'll clean up the dishes?"

Tien's knees shook as Goku brushed the mark on his neck. Oh, he'd never get used to that. The way it shot jolts of pleasure through his entire system was nothing short of amazing.

"DON'T. YOU. DARE," Sabriena growled. She smiled at the way Goku blinked at her, as if he was afraid he was about to get a tongue-lashing. "It's your birthday. You absolutely will not do one chore around this house. I forbid it." Goku looked as if he was about to protest. "Tien, put him in bed. He's gonna need some rest. You had your way with him earlier. Next, it's my turn." She gave Goku a wink and headed to the counter to start washing the dishes.

"Well, I've got my orders," Tien said and bent double, catching Goku's middle with his shoulder and hauled him up to carry him over to the bed.

Goku sighed and looked down, grinning again and reaching down to smack at Tien's ass, "Dont put me down just yet, I like the view from here," He teased, looking up at Sabriena and giving her a wink. He smiled to himself, never before had someone done this before. Certainly not Chichi, she would flip her lid if he spent a whole day doing nothing. Which she did often, as she considered a day of training useless, he shook his head. He was not going to spend this day or any day for that matter, thinking about that horrible woman. He looked over at Sabriena, feeling butterflies soaring in his stomach and of course, Tien did felt he was still so very much in love with them both, who knew that three people could be in love like this.

Tien snickered and smacked back at Goku's ass. "Knock it off or I'll put you in your place," he growled playfully and flipped Goku over his shoulder to land on the bed. He didn't know why he was feeling so giddy. Maybe it was just the reaction Goku had to the gift he'd given him or the fact that they'd spent the whole day just enjoying each other, but he couldn't help the smile on his face and this overwhelming urge to be playful with his mates. He grabbed Goku's hands, leaning over him, playfully wrestling with him, "You wanna fight?"

Sabriena turned from the dishes and shook her head at the two grown men wrestling around on the bed. "You two break that bed and you are in sooooo much trouble," she warned.

Goku laughed out loud and wrestled with Tien and flopped on top of him in the bed, looking over his shoulder when Sabriena issued her warning. He wiggled his butt at her, "You going to punish us then?" He turned back and winked at Tien, his fingers entwining his his and he went to find a ticklish spot under Tien's ribs, laughing out loud as he watched his mate squirm. Wrestling WAS fun, Goku thought as Tien managed to get the upper hand and turn him over, "Sabriena!" He called out, "Sabriena SAVE ME!"

"You are on your OWN," she answered as she washed the dishes. She finished up quickly and dried her hands, turning to face them.

Tien was flat on his back, his arms locked under Goku's, holding the Saiyan's back against his chest. "Get 'im, Sabriena!"

She smiled and tossed her dish towel aside and ran to the bed, jumping onto it and tickling Goku's ribs. "Wiggle your ass at me, huh?" she teased through gritted teeth as he squirmed. "Yeah, I'll punish you! I'll tickle you until you can't stand it!"

"Noooooo!" Goku howled between laughs, tears ran down his cheeks he was laughing so hard, "Mercy Mercy! I give up! I give!" He laughed, his hips thrusting upwards, trying to buck her off of him, it was hard to move with Tien holding him so firmly. He grinned again and wiggled even more against his mate. "Ohhhh Sabriena," he laughed, "That feels soooo good!" He moaned, or tried to between his laughter. It didn't sound convincing.

Sabriena doubled over in laughter, laying across Goku's chest. Tien was laughing, too. This was the best day they'd had in a very long time. He released his hold on Goku and sighed deeply. He loved their weight on him, the sound of their laughter. How had he ever lived out here by himself for so many years? He reached up and ran his fingers through Sabriena's silky blonde hair. "I love you guys," he said and kissed Goku's cheek. He inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent of both of them. He wondered if it would be selfish if he suggested making love to them. He couldn't help it. Their day had been wonderful. Wouldn't that be the perfect way to end it? The weight of their bodies pressed down on him and he felt himself starting to harden. He slightly lifted his hips, grinding himself against Goku. "We still have a couple hours of your birthday left," he said suggestively. "How would you like to spend it?"

Goku couldn't stop the moan that escaped his lips. He sighed happily, pulling Sabriena on top of him and he tilted his head back to look at Tien, "I can think of a few things we can do." He ran his hands up and down Sabriena's ample curves, "Did you have anything specific in mind, Tien?" He pressed his hips back against Tien, rubbing himself against the hardness he felt there, feeling himself stirring against Sabriena's heat. He sighed happily, "As long as I'm warm and with you guys...nothing could be better."

Sabriena shivered at Goku's hands on her. "I vote for this position," she smiled and slid her hands under Goku's shirt, moaning lightly at the feel of his strong muscles against her hands. She let her legs drop down to straddle him and wiggled her hips against him. She nipped lightly at Goku's jaw and whispered in his ear, "Can we make love to you, baby? Please?"

Goku couldn't stop his breath from hitching the way she spoke into his ear, how Tien held him so safely, so securely. After saving the world, looking after others, it was wonderful to be looked after for once, "Please do." He reached up, sliding his own hands under Sabriena's shirt, lifting it up and over her head, watching as goosebumps popped up on her skin at the temperature change. He leaned forward, reaching behind her and popping off her bra with practiced ease, tossing the garment aside and marveled at her hardening nipples, moving his hands over them to brush and lightly pinch at them. He reached up lifting her chin, looking into those warm amber eyes, "beautiful, he marveled.

Sabriena blushed at the way he spoke that single word. "I love you," she breathed. "Happy Birthday, handsome." She leaned her face into his hand, kissing at his palm.

Tien slid his hands to Goku's hips, pulling him back against his hard length, and sucked at the mark on Goku's neck. He'd had this in the back of his mind all day, ever since he'd given the massage earlier. He'd wanted so bad to just take Goku then, his body covered in oil, his hard cock so hot in Tien's hand. He broke contact with Goku's neck only long enough to say, "We gotta get out of these clothes."

Goku shivered and nodded, his hands moving to his pants and undoing the belt, he sat up, holding Sabriena as he managed to work his pants off of him, baring himself to the world as he tossed them aside. His hands went to Sabriena's jeans and worked the button open so he could slide her clothes off. He loved the little pink lacy underwear she wore and briefly wondered if he could make love to her with her still wearing them. He reached down to her centre and pushed the lace to the side, slipping a finger into her. He shivered at the heat, "You have been wanting this all day, havent you?" He smiled up at her, "Think you ...you can wear that while I'm inside of you?"

Sabriena gasped at the feel of his strong hand, his fingers pressing into her. "I can if you want me to," she smiled, grinding herself against his hand. "You want me to put on my heels, too?" she giggled. All sorts of ideas flooded her mind in that moment. Putting on a little strip tease for her husbands. Giving them a lap dance. If only they had a radio.

Tien pulled at his own belt and yanked his pants down until he could kick his legs free. Goku's bare flesh against him made him hiss and he quickly pulled his shirt off and flung it away. He ran his hands over Goku's sides, staring up at Sabriena. He was so lucky. So very lucky to have both of them. He sucked at Goku's ear, catching it in his teeth and breathed, "I want you so bad."

Goku shivered at that and reached behind him drawing Tien closer, turning his head and placing a hot kiss on Tien's mark, feeling a shiver running down his spine and pooling in his groin. He grinned, "Then take me." He whispered before turning his attention back to Sabriena...The thought of her dressed up and his hard body still pressing into her, something about that appealed to Goku, "Yesssss," He moaned, "Do it." Mmm, He loved it when she dressed up and wore those heels...she hardly ever did it...only when they went out which wasn't too often. They made her seem taller, showing off her legs, her curves, lifting her ass to perfection...she was already perfect...but something about those heels just made her pop.

Sabriena giggled again and slithered down his body, pausing to suck at his hard length for a moment before she crawled off the bed and bounced across the cabin to the wardrobe. She was amused at home much Goku liked those heels on her. She was DEFINITELY going to have to surprise them with a little strip show now.

Tien's cock throbbed as he watched Sabriena trotting across the cabin, her curves bouncing. "We gotta make her run around more when she's naked," he murmured to Goku. He reached down and grabbed Goku's cheeks in his hands, spreading them and pressing himself against the ring of muscle he found there. He was breathing heavy already, the anticipation of Goku's tight body around him, the idea of Sabriena in her heels. He rubbed his leaking essence against Goku, moaning low in his throat. He couldn't hold back any more. He lifted his hips and felt Goku's body give to him, letting him slip slowly into that impossibly tight heat. "Oh, gods, you feel amazing," he breathed.

Sabriena walked back towards them slowly, her tall black heels clicking on the hardwood floor, her hands on her hips. She swayed her hips more than was necessary, drawing their attention to her curves. She stepped onto the bed and stood over them, a smile pulling at her lips. "Is this what you wanted?"

Goku moaned loudly when Tien pressed into him, feeling himself being spread wide, his body easily opened for his mate. Sabriena, however, standing over them in nothing but her panties and heels, now that was something to behold. He felt his cock twitch as Tien's length pushed in deeper, his broad head pressing up right on his prostate added to the sheer sexual beauty that Sabriena represented in that moment he moaned in answer, a large drop of precum beading at the tip of his erection, "Please, please." He reached up for her, his cock bobbing in the air, wanting to spear her body, to claim it again. He could feel Tien's cock throbbing within him as well. Yes, this woman was definitely pleasing to the eye. "Please, Sabriena. Ride me. Ride me hard like this."

She smiled smugly at them. Something about the heels made her feel sassy. She lowered herself, crouching over her husbands and rested lightly against Goku's length. She set her forearms on her knees, grinning at the way Goku was bucking up against her while impaling himself on Tien at the same time. She rocked her hips forward, pressing the wet fabric of her panties against Goku, slowly closing her eyes and moaning at the feel of him rubbing against her. She raked her fingers through her hair and grabbed her breasts, pinching her nipples. "You boys make me soooo hot," she purred seductively.

Goku moaned, this was the most exquisite torture. Tien deep inside of him, his hands rubbing his nipples, his mark, and Sabriena, so dominate, controlling, rubbing her clothed body up against him. The skimpy fabric did very little to stop him from feeling her already soaked through, aching for him. "Pleeease," he begged and rocked himself harder onto Tien, gasping out as he felt his husband slide in another inch, the wide base of his cock spreading him so wide he could feel the delicious burn settling into his muscles. "Touch yourself," he pleaded, suddenly wanting to see her with her fingers in herself, through her underwear.

Sabriena's eyebrows shot up for a fraction of a second before she reclaimed her smug expression. "You mean like this?" she asked, slowly sliding her hand into the lace, her fingers flicking over her clit. She squeezed at her breast with her other hand, slightly digging her nails into the firm curve. She threw her head back, moaning obscenely as she touched herself.

Tien was panting, bucking up into Goku as he watched Sabriena. This was hot. This was so incredibly hot. He couldn't hold back and panted into Goku's ear, "Can I come? Please? I swear, I can keep going. I just..." he couldn't even finish his sentence as his body spilled over and he growled loudly against the side of Goku's neck. He shuddered and stilled for just a moment. No, he wasn't done. He wanted more. He rocked his hips up, his cock still hard as steel, driving himself into Goku once more.

Goku's cock weeped heavily now, Tien's hot cum splashing inside of him coating him, making him slick, hot. Goku growled and reached up, tugging Sabriena down, "I have to have you now!" As best he could, he reached down, pushing her panties to one side before he pulled her down on him, watching her body swallow his in one thrust. He threw his head back against Tien's shoulder, bucking up into Sabriena's incredibly hot body and then back onto Tien's cock. "Please," he whispered, "I need you, please. Both of you. Fuck me hard. Come in me again. Come on me. Please, please, please."

Sabriena's breath caught in her chest as Goku speared her so suddenly, so deeply. A high-pitched cry issued from her throat and she clenched her teeth, grinding harshly on him. She leaned over and hooked her leg around his thigh, pressing the heel of her shoe into the back of his leg. She slid her other leg down to wrap around Tien, doing the same to him.

Tien hissed out as the sharp heel dug into his flesh. He bucked up into Goku as hard as he could, pinching one nipple with one hand and reached up to grab Sabriena's breast with the other. "Oh... my god... you guys..." he panted. His cock was throbbing for release again. He wanted to come deep inside Goku again and again and again until he was completely spent. "Can I come again?" he whimpered. "P-Please?!"

Goku's thrusts were determined by the speed at with Tien pistoned in and out of him, his large cock brushing over his prostate with every pass making the Saiyan see stars in front of his eyes. He gasped and shouted as he powered up, his hair turning a brilliant gold, his eyes teal. He felt his cock swell within Sabriena as he pulled her down over his red hot length over and over again. He groaned out as he felt himself tighten around Tien, oh he was going to be so sore in the morning. "Fuck me, Tien! Harder!" he demanded, pushing his body back onto his mate's cock, "Come in me again, fill me! PLEASE!" He was losing himself, feeling that tingle inside of his balls and he cried out as he felt himself twitch as he came, spilling deeply inside his wife's hot body.

Tien's face was red, his eyes screwed shut as he thrusted up into Goku's tight body. Goku had clenched down on him, oh gods, he felt lightheaded as he came, his aching cock pumping hot rivers of cum deep into Goku's body. Sweet, sweet release. Tien exhaled the breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

Sabriena was still grinding on Goku as she felt her body fill with his hot essence. "Oh, fuck, YES! Goku!" It was so hot, burning into her core, pouring back out of her and she tensed, crying out in pleasure, her senses shattering as the orgasm hit her. She came back to herself after a moment, and started grinding on him again. "Come on, baby," she said in a soft, yet determined voice. "You can give me more, can't you? Please... I want more..."

Tien blinked up at her wide-eyed. He'd already come twice in just a matter of minutes. Part of him wanted Goku to tell her no. And the other part, oh gods, did he have it in him to go one more time? 'Women,' he thought ruefully.

Goku grinned, his eyes still blazing teal as he felt his own essence sliding back out of her, making everything amazingly slick. He felt sinfully wicked in that moment, feeling Tien's essence filling him deeply. He could feel his mate softening inside of him and he teasingly wiggled back against him, clenching around him tightly before he thrust back up into Sabriena. "Looks like he's fading fast," he grinned up at her, reaching up and pinching at her mating mark, "Now what can we do about that?"

"Hmmm, what indeed," she purred, gasping out as Goku pressed up into her again. She was grinding on him again, not wanting to break the contact between their bodies. "God, Goku, you're so big."

Tien groaned as he felt Goku tightening over him, squirming against him. He was sooo sensitive. "Guys, please," he gasped.

Sabriena grinned wickedly at Goku. "Keep going," she said and bounced on him, feeling him impale her deliciously.

Goku grinned and reached up, grasping her hips firmly, thrusting into her, her slick body making it easy to slide in and out. He could already feel himself starting to harden again, loving how perfectly they fit together. He moaned as he could feel the tip of his broad head pressing up against the back of cervix. He lifted her up, sliding almost all of the way out but then slammed back home, gasping out as her hot heat enveloped him over and over and over again. He began to pull off of Tien, clenching at him tightly before sinking back down on his husband's cock, feeling the cum slipping out around his already loosened body. "Tien..." He moaned.

Tien was starting to harden again. Oh gods, what were they doing to him? Goku was so slick and hot on him. All right, if it was a fucking Goku wanted, he was gonna get it. Tien grabbed Goku's hips and slammed up into him. He bent his knees, getting better leverage on the bed, and thrust up into the Saiyan as hard as he could.

Sabriena was cried out, grinding and bouncing on Goku for all she was worth. She loved the feel of his hot, hard cock rubbing against that spot deep within her. "Oh, fuck me... Fuck me hard!"

Goku moaned as Tien started thrusting into him again, his body hard one more. "Yessssss," he cried out and redoubled his efforts, slamming hard into Sabriena. When he looked down, he could see her stomach slightly bulging out as he plunged in and out. "Yesss! Take it, Sabriena. Take it." He felt himself on the verge again. "I can't… can't last much longer!" he cried out, reaching up to pinch and twist her nipples, his own hard and aching. He reached up and dragged her down against him, cradling her head against his chest. "Suck," he commanded.

Sabriena was moaning, gasping, Goku's words fueling her desire. She greedily captured his nipple in her mouth, sucking it fiercely, biting at it, teasing the hardened nub with her tongue. Her hand found the other and she pinched it with her nails, digging them into the sensitive flesh. His own fingers were teasing her chest, pinching her nipples harshly, rolling them, making jolts of pleasure shoot through her body. He was so hard inside her, his swollen cock pounding into her wet sex, driving her crazy. She was so close to that edge, crying out against his chest.

Tien fucked Goku as hard as he could, slamming his cock deep inside the Saiyan. He wanted to make sure Goku was completely satisfied, that he'd still be feeling it in the morning. He bit the mark on Goku's neck, nearly breaking the skin, growling possessively as he felt himself starting to crest again.

Goku lost it when Tien bit the mark on his neck and his vision went white as he came with a strangled scream, "FUCK! YES!" He slammed into Sabriena once more, holding her tightly against him as he pumped his load into her hot body, his own clenching at Tien tightly. He had to power down, his hair falling into black strands once more, the light in the room diminishing as he did, not wanting to hurt Sabriena in his throes of passion. He fell back weakly against Tien as he let his loves use his spent body for their pleasure, a goofy smile spreading across his face, "Best... birthday… ever..."

Tien came hard, shooting deeply into Goku's body one last time, tears of pleasure prickling at the corners of his eyes. Holy shit. Holy fucking shit. That was absolutely amazing. He felt Goku relax against him and he knew his husband was finally satisfied. A smile pulled at his lips and he softly kissed the reddened mark on Goku's neck. He was glad he hadn't broken the skin. He'd hate to mar that design.

Sabriena had already started to come when she felt Goku's hot seed filling her once again. She screamed and writhed against him, her mind going blank, her entire body filled with pleasure. She shivered against him now, her body covered in sweat, the sensations of the cabin coming back to her. She curled her arms under her chest, laying on Goku. "I'm cold," she whispered. "But oh, that was soooo good."

Goku cuddled against her for a moment, feeling the chill of the cabin starting to seep into his body once again. He shivered. "Ah man. I gotta use the bathroom," he said, dreading having to go out into the cold. He wiggled against Tien a moment before lifting himself up, shuddering as he felt the impressive length slip out of him, "Ooooh gods, I am not going to be able to walk tomorrow." He carefully stood up and put Sabriena into Tien's arms before he grudgingly put two fingers to his forehead and disappeared.

Tien laid down on his side and cradled Sabriena to his chest, pulling the blankets up over them. He kissed her forehead. "You think he enjoyed his birthday?" he asked softly.

Sabriena nodded. "Ohhh yeahhh," she giggled. "I think we did good."

Tien smiled sleepily down at her, rubbing at her arm to warm her as she snuggled into his chest. "You two are going to be the death of me," he murmured.

"You keep saying that like it's a bad thing," she snickered. "But you're just as bad as Goku and I are." Her body ached wonderfully, completely satisfied, and all she wanted to do was sleep. But not yet. Not until Goku was snuggling in bed beside her and she gave him one last birthday kiss. She reached over and straightened the cloak on the bed where Goku had laid it earlier. "I think he liked his gift," she said.

Tien smiled again.

Goku popped in under the blanket she was moving and shivered terribly. "Of course I LOVE this," he said as he adjusted himself under all the blankets, curling the cloak around him and smiling at his two mates, "And thank you guys, it was amazing. I don't know how I can thank you both. It was a wonderful birthday, and I wasn't expecting it. That made it the best of all." He moved closer to them, wrapping his cold body against their warmth, and closed his eyes, "Mmmm. I have the best mates ever."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Goku, Tien, and Sabriena do more than just have sex, I swear! I... yeah... *blushes and runs away* SHAMELESS SEX SCENES BECAUSE WE CAN! SO THERE.


	35. It's a Date

Dende sat defeated on the edge of the Lookout, silent tears slipping down his cheeks as he watched and felt the destruction happening down on the earth. Mass murder. Genocide. The wars in the Middle East. People killing their own kind along with the enemies. They couldn't see, couldn't comprehend the bigger picture. The pointless violence, the hate, the fear. Thousands of children crying out, dying, losing parents. It was horrid. He could handle a storm by Mother Nature; there was no violence in that. Just the way things were, he could soothe the storm. But this storm of hate he had no influence over, he could not sway the minds of men set on killing their own. He exhausted himself trying to quell the fighting, but to no avail. He knew he had promised to see Rose that day, but he felt he couldn't do it. Not this time. Not when so much hate and anger flowed through his mind. It would destroy her to feel it. He curled up on his side as he looked out over the world, trying to send what energy he could to make it better.

Rose knew something was wrong. It wasn't like Dende to blow her off. She couldn't remember a single incident where he had ever let her down. No, Dende wouldn't do this unless there was a damn good reason. She hoped that it wouldn't be too rude of her to just show up unannounced, but she had to make sure that he was okay.

Rose drove her hovercar as fast as she could to the Lookout, chewing her lip the whole time, a sense of dread growing in her heart the closer and closer she got. She finally landed on the Lookout, capsulated her car, and looked around. She saw his form lying on his side near the edge of the tile. Her heart leapt into her throat. "Dende!" she cried and ran to him. She dropped to her knees next to him, placing her hand on his arm. "Dende! Are you okay? What's wrong?" She could see the tears on his face and she swore she could feel an ache in her heart that wasn't her own.

Dende looked up at her, inwardly cursing himself for at least not calling and letting her know he was alright. The pain in his soul was heavy and it made his own body sluggish. He sighed, looking out over the world again, feeling the pain, and he closed his eyes against it. "Rose, not today. It's not a good day for the world right now. She's in pain that her children would bring harm upon themselves."

Rose sucked her lips for a second before she moved to lay on the tile in front of him, keeping a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Okay," she said softly, brushing her thumb over his bicep. She couldn't stand to see her friend in so much pain. She gently moved her hand to cup his cheek, wiping away the tears that threatened to fall. "I'm here for you," she nearly whispered. "You've helped me so many times, let me try to comfort you. Please, Dende. You're such a good friend, I can't stand seeing you so upset."

Dende sucked in a deep breath as she cupped his cheek, the tender gesture bringing more comfort to him than he thought possible. An umbrella in a chaotic storm. He felt a little bit of weight lifted from his shoulders. He closed his eyes, " I don't wish this pain on anyone, Rose. Certainly not someone as kind as you. I would hate to see what kind of torture this would be on a soul like yours." He couldn't bring himself to send her away. He let his eyes unfocus as he looked out over the world again.

"I would bear it myself if it meant protecting you from it for even a moment, love," she breathed. Her eyes went wide at the admission, a slight blush on her cheeks, but she gave a tiny snort of unamused laughter through her nose and shook her head. Surely Dende was used to her blurting out random things. Or, at least, he should've been by that point. She didn't bother to correct herself, however, because it was true. She stroked her thumb over his cheek again and again, wanting nothing more in that moment than to pull him into her arms and just hold him.

Dende blinked over at her, his chest pounding at the simple word that escaped her lips. It wrapped around his heart, warming him from the inside out. He leaned into her hand, sighing softly, scooting closer to her. "Someone as wonderful as you shouldn't bear this. You do so much." He closed his eyes, drawing in the good energy from her and concentrated on sending it out into the world.

"No," she said softly. "YOU are the one who does so much for so many. You deserve to be comforted and supported more than anyone." She closed her eyes as well, not really knowing what she was doing, but wanting to help him in any way that she possibly could. So she did the only thing she could think of. She concentrated on opening her mind, her heart, her energy to him so that he could take whatever he needed from her, whether it be comfort or love or strength. Anything he needed.

Dense had to suck in a breathe of air as he felt her mind open. Instead of a jumble of mismatched thoughts and emotions, it was clarity. And a peace he had never felt before. It was taking away his pain. He had the uncanny feeling that he belonged there. He wanted to stay like this forever.

It was like Rose could feel a calm washing over him, like there was a connection between them that she had never known with another person. And then there it was again, that strange sensation that this had happened before, that she'd done this countless times over when in reality she knew that wasn't true. "I'm sorry you've had to do this alone for so long," she whispered without opening her eyes. "I'm sorry you have to bear this burden."

Dende chuckled, "Is it just me or does it feel like deja vu? I think I've heard someone say those words to me before. All the time. This." He didn't know how to put it into words, "But that's silly. I think you would have remembered me. Green skin is hard to forget." He sighed, feeling a few more tears slipping down his cheeks as he felt a fresh wave of despair and hate wash over the world.

Rose opened her eyes, staring into his. "You feel that too?" She blinked, not knowing what to think. "Wow, and here I just thought I was being weird." She grew quiet as she watched more tears slide down his face. She moved closer, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, hugging him tightly as they laid there on the tiles. "Shhhhh," she soothed. "It's okay. I'm here."

Dende took a deep breath, feeling strangely calmed in her embrace. She was doing something to him that he was having trouble understanding. With her draped over his back like this, he felt that he could easily tackle the world's problems. Her energies bound with his own, helping him focus his power and he tried again. He kept his eyes closed as he held his hands over the edge of the Lookout, addressing the pain that he felt as it came to him. He was, well, he wasn't sure what this meant. What she meant if she could be his anchor during the rough parts of this job.

Rose couldn't explain what was happening. It was as though she could feel Dende's emotions as if they were her own. She could feel them lessening, the pain and stress easing. The tears in his eyes were gone and she watched as a look of determination came across his face. She clung tighter to him as he sat them up and got to his feet. She stood behind him, her arms wrapped around his chest and she closed her eyes, her only thoughts centered on comforting him enough to do his work.

It went on like that, the day passing as they quietly began walking around the edge of the Lookout together. Dende slipped an arm around her shoulders as she clung to him, working her own bit of magick. It war was still raging, but somehow with Rose's aid, they had been able to quell the minds, lower a few guns and kept a few people out of their graves. It was a long day and when Dende came out of his trance like state, he blinked and looked to Rose at his side. He hugged her close, "Thank you. I could not have done that alone." He pulled back from her, his hands on her shoulders, "What did you do? How did you know to come here?"

She gave him a soft smile and shook her head. "I don't know," she answered. "But when you didn't show up, I just felt like I had to come to you." She was tired after exerting so much energy. She hadn't even realized she was doing it at the time, but now she could feel the exhaustion creeping into her body. "I don't know how you do this all day every day," she said. She ducked her head, feeling a bit hypocritical. "Here I was, thinking my job was hard. I expected you and Goku to see that. Yet I didn't see how hard your job is. I'm sorry, Dende. I'm not sure whether I should be the pot or the kettle here."

Dende chuckled before he gestured towards the kitchen, "Today was not one of the good days. Come, I daresay you've earned a hot chocolate. I've never had anyone help me like that before. To be honest, I did not even know that was possible." He said as he pulled a chair out for her to sit down, "Let me fix you something to eat, you must be starving." He said as he went about, getting everything ready, "I am sorry for today. It wasn't supposed to be like that"

"It wasn't your fault," she answered, her expression understanding as she watched him move about the kitchen. She'd never been into this part of the Lookout. As a matter of fact, now that she thought about it, she had only been to the Lookout once before, on the day that Goku first introduced her to Dende. And they had traveled there by instant transmission. She had no idea how she even found this place. She had just got into her car and took off, her only thoughts of getting to Dende because, well, he needed her. She leaned her elbow on the table and rested her forehead on her hand, blinking her eyes widely at the table. "That doesn't make any sense," she whispered to herself.

Dende looked over at her as he dumped the packets of hot chocolate into the mugs and filled them with hot water. He carried one to her and set it in front of her, "What doesn't make any sense? There are a lot of things in this world that are confusing." He smiled at her, his heart pounding in his chest. He reached out and covered her hand with his own, "Whatever compelled you to come to me, I am glad you listened. I needed you."

She dropped her other hand and stared into his dark eyes. "But that's what doesn't make sense," she said in a quiet voice. "I don't know how I got here, how I found you. I just got in my car and drove here. Like it was second nature to me, even though I didn't know the way." A spark seemed to shoot up her arm and directly into her heart as he laid his hand over hers. She looked down at their hands; his was so warm over the top of hers. She rather liked the contrast between her pale skin and his emerald green.

He smiled down at her, "Perhaps the fates were listening to you and your needs. Or to mine. I needed someone to help me today and here you are." He sipped at his own hot drink, "It does not matter, you are here and I am very grateful for it. I would not want to see what the world would have looked like, what the world would have screamed at me if I had not been able to work. You are amazing. I'm glad you are here."

She smiled back at him and turned her hand to wrap around his. Her heart seemed to flutter in her chest as she wondered what it would be like to kiss him. She had the sudden impulse to just lean forward and capture his lips with her own. What would it be like? Would he pull away from her? Or would he kiss her back? "You're the one who's amazing," she answered breathlessly as she leaned a little closer to him. But the next second, Paige ran into the kitchen, squealing at the top of her lungs, carrying her father's water flask high over her head as the water dripped down onto her and the floor.

"PAIGE!" Piccolo roared from somewhere outside of the kitchen.

Rose quickly pulled back from Dende and blinked down at Paige, clapping a hand to her mouth and giggling, "Uh oh. Someone's causing mischief."

Dende chuckled and looked down at the little one, "Stole your father's flask again, did you? You know that's the only form of acceptable food he will eat." He leaned down and acted like he was telling her a big secret, "I'll bet if you ask real nicely, Mr. Popo will show you a few of his hiding places around the Lookout."

He laughed as her eyes widened and she ran off. He smiled at Rose, "It's never boring up here, but so hard to find someone willing to share what I do. We must be like two peas in a pod, Miss Rose."

She chuckled at him. "Dende, you don't have to call me 'Miss.' I think we know each other well enough now that that's not necessary." She picked up her mug of hot chocolate and sipped at it. She was disappointed that the moment had been interrupted, but perhaps it was for the better. She didn't want to screw up her friendship with him. A sudden thought struck her the next moment. "Hey, Dende, I, ah, I was wondering if maybe you were free next weekend?"

Dende blinked at her, "Next weekend? I think I might be able to move some appointments around. Baring nothing from the Earth, I should be free. Has Goku decided to plan another party?" He asked cautiously. It seemed more and more he was spending precious time away from the tower, but he couldn't help it. There was just something about this woman that made him want to jump through hoops.

"No, not Goku," she answered with a laugh. "It's my friend, Cherie. The one friend I have from high school that I mentioned before? She, well, she's getting married and she told me to bring a date, I mean, a guest!" Rose's face suddenly burned with a blush and she cleared her throat. "Anyway, I don't really want to go alone and I thought that, you know, maybe you would go with me?" She shifted uncomfortably as she awaited his answer. Did Nameks have weddings? Did they attend such things? Of course, Jenny had referred to Piccolo as her husband, so surely this wouldn't be something too outside of the norm for him.

Dende smiled and nodded, "I would love to be your date." He winked at her, "Perhaps if you let me buy dinner and a movie then it will really be a date. Perhaps I'll even ask Jenny for some dance lessons, Maybe Sabriena." He chuckled, or we can be wallflowers and enjoy the good food and good company. I think a wedding is just what we need to lift our spirits after such a long and trying time. It will be good to feel all the positive energy in one place." He looked down at his attire and then back up at her, "Will I need to get a tux for the occasion?"

"I don't think you need a tux, but a nice suit would be good," Rose answered, her face blushing again and her heart leaping as he accepted her invitation. "And I don't dance, Dende," she giggled. "We can just sit back and try to blend into the scenery, if that's okay with you. Really. I love music, but dancing was never my forte."

Dende chuckled, "We can just enjoy each other's company. It can be a date if you want to call it that." He said, "I really don't mind. What time should I pick you up, my lady?"

"It's an afternoon wedding at the park," she answered. "Cherie's lucky that the weather's starting to get warm again. Anyway, I guess you could come by my apartment around three or so on that Saturday. We could walk to the park from my place."

Dende smiled at her and nodded, "Then it's a date. I will be there promptly and we will be on our way." Another thought struck him and he chucked, "That park again? I'm beginning to suspect something about that park. The best things happen when it is just you and me there. Minus the ice."

She giggled and beamed at him. "Oh, I don't know," she grinned, "I kind of liked that, too." No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't stop smiling at him. "Alright, then. It's a date."


	36. Tossing the Bouquet

Dende checked himself in the mirror as he waited for Rose to come out of her bedroom. He fiddled with his tie rethinking this whole thing. He was too nice, he shouldn't have said yes. His stomach was butterflies. He knew how he felt about Rose, but if only she felt the same way towards him...He knew she liked Goku and if she hadn't been working on the his case, that Saiyan would be the one in his shoes on that day instead. Piccolo had snickered at him that morning when he left. They got enough stares as it was, but he wanted to be paraded around in a suit at a wedding, he was just asking for it. He shrugged it off. He owed Rose this much. He swallowed nervously and looked back towards her room, "So, its just in the park?"

Rose was messing with her hair, checking herself in the mirror, making sure the curls were all still in the right place. Orange. Why did the dress have to be orange? Her friend had insisted upon everyone dressing in the wedding colors of pink and orange. And since the bridesmaids got pink dresses, she got stuck wearing orange. She heard Dende's question, "Yeah, they rented the entire park today." She glanced in the mirror one last time. She tugged nervously at the skirt. Damn her long legs. "Oh, good enough," she muttered and opened the door to her bedroom. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw Dende standing there in his suit. "You look nice," she smiled.

Dende's own breath caught, the color of the dress brought out her eyes that added color to her cheeks. It warmed the color of her hair. He had to swallow before he found his breath, "Thank you. You look stunning, of course.." He offered his arm out to her, his heart fluttering as she took it, "Well then, let's get to it then." He smiled to himself at the thought of being her date. Maybe it wasn't so bad after all, even if he was just pretending. This was nice, helped her down the stairs, holding the door open for her as they stepped out into the spring air. He took a deep breath, smelling the blooming flowers, hearing the sounds of the world amplified. He could hear some kind of music playing from the park already and he smirked to himself as he lead her towards the entrance, "At least we don't have any ice to be slipping around on today."

"Oh thank goodness for that," she laughed lightly. "That'd be just my luck to fall again in front of a bunch of people I don't know." She felt a blush touch her cheeks as she recalled that night. Even though it was cold and uncomfortable on the sidewalk, she'd loved the feeling of his body on top of hers when they fell.

The park was in full bloom, rows of white chairs had been set up facing the spring. A big white arch was covered with flowers and ribbons. Off to one side, a huge tent had been set up with tables and a dance floor in the middle. Dancing. Oh gods, in her nervousness, she had forgotten about that. Perhaps Dende wouldn't want to dance. She'd told him she wasn't very good at it.

They were ushered into seats on the bride's side. Rose was thankful they were near the back. There were so many people around. It made her a bit uncomfortable. People were turning in their seat, staring curiously at her. "What are they looking at?" she whispered to Dende. She looked herself over, wondering if she'd stained her dress or done something wrong.

Dende chuckled, "You look fine. However, I think the green alien sitting next to you might have their attention. Sorry about that, I stole your spotlight." He smiled warmly back at the strangers looking at him. He felt the wave of guilt from her and he shook his head, looking down at her, "Dont worry about it. Believe me, I'm used to it. I think they look funny too." He chuckled at his little humor and leaned back in his chair, "You'd think most people would be used to it." He looked around...it was a lovely wedding set up. He had to wonder. He knew he'd never marry. There wasn't anyone on this planet, save for Jenny (and she was spoken for) who would dream of marrying one of his kind. Just too weird, he supposed.

Rose thought it was rather rude of everyone to stare at him like that. "Ignore them," she whispered to him and slid her arm into the crook of his elbow, pulling his arm tight to her side. She sat up a little straighter and fixed her eyes on the front of the aisle. There a contentment settled into her at the feel of his arm in hers. A tiny smile pulled at her lips. To hell with what everyone thought of them. She was happy to be there with him and that was all that mattered. She brushed her thumb over his arm and sighed dreamily.

* * *

The ceremony was beautiful and blissfully short. Everyone headed for the open-air tent afterwards and Rose wound her way through the guests, pulling Dende with her, until she met up with the bride. "You look amazing," she said as she hugged her friend. "Cherie, this is Dende. Dende, this is my friend Cherie."

The bride blinked widely at Dende for a moment before she smiled, "Nice to meet you."

Dende smiled back at her. He liked this woman. Rose had excellent taste in friends. He could sense the hesitation, but the will to accept him for who he was in this woman. It wasn't forced, just there. "A pleasure to meet you. It was a lovely service. I wish you a long and happy life together." His hand went back to cover Rose's in his arm, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. As if he'd done it a million times. The strangest sense of deja vu overcame him again and he blinked a moment, shaking it away.

"Thank you," the bride said. "You guys should grab a bite to eat. The dance will start in a little bit!" she grinned, elbowing Rose with a wink. She turned to her new husband and said something to him about cutting the cake.

Rose felt nervous again as she and Dende found a table to sit at. She felt better, sitting over in a corner of the tent with him. The whole place was beautiful and Rose gave a sigh, "Do you think you'll ever get married, Dende?"

Dende started a moment. Now who was reading whose mind? He smiled longingly and shook his head, looking over at her,."I've thought about it, but doubtful. There's no one on this planet who would marry me. Save Jenny, but you know, she went after my brother." He chuckled, "It's not easy being green you know." He snickered at his own joke. "Not to mention that people on my planet don't really marry. They mate. And ah, well, there aren't any, um, female Nameks."

"No one who would marry you? Don't sell yourself short, Dende. You might be surprised," she smiled softly. No female nameks? She wanted to ask, but thought just then might not be the appropriate moment. She shook her head. "You're a really good person. You'll find someone. And she'll be a really lucky girl to have you." Rose grabbed her glass of ice water and sipped it, wondering. Why did she have to feel so torn?

Dende.

Goku.

She didn't like the stares people were giving her and Dende. Perhaps it wasn't right. Maybe they really were too different. It was all well and good for Jenny. She didn't live in the middle of a big city where people would see her and Piccolo all the time. She didn't have to deal with the stares, the guilt of making her lover a spectacle. Rose couldn't do that to Dende. She felt bad now, having made him come with her. She should've just gone it alone or faked being sick.

She fought the urge to sigh. She didn't really have time for a husband anyway. Not really. She shouldn't have been spending so much time with Dende and Goku as it was. Her work was slacking. "I don't think I'll ever marry either," she mumbled.

Dende looked at her, tilting his head. "First of all, stop feeling bad for me. I told you I am used to this. Secondly, why on earth why wouldn't you want to get married?" He smiled at her, "You have to remember to have some time for yourself or your work will swallow you up." He looked out over the dance floor, the bride and groom were sharing their first dance together. He watched them for a moment before he heard the DJ announce that the floor was open for all to join them. Acting on a whim, Dende offered his hand over to her. "Come on. Lets have some fun and give them something to stare at." He grinned, "Live a little."

Rose's eyes went wide as she placed her hand in his. "Dende, I can't dance," she said nervously as she let him lead her out onto the dance floor. He turned her and put one hand on her waist, holding her other hand in his. She placed her hand on his shoulder. She kept looking down at her feet, afraid of stepping on his toes. She looked up at him again and narrowed her eyes slightly, "I thought you stopped reading my mind."

He blushed at her and shrugged, "Oops. Just a small peek. You are just so easy for me to read." He tilted her head up, "Stop watching your feet, you'll trip up more if you do that. I have hard feet." He turned her around, swaying softly to the music, feeling eyes watching them, but not caring. "See? You can dance." He smiled brightly at her, chuckling at her unsure look, "Relax. I'm actually having a good time. It's much better than just watching the world from up above. Thank you for inviting me."

"Thank you for coming," she answered quietly. She stepped just a bit closer to him. This wasn't so bad. And being this close to him made her feel calm, peaceful.

Her eyes caught something, a flash of pink over at the corner of the dance floor. The bridesmaids were huddled together, their mouths moving a mile a minute, casting dirty looks over at Rose and Dende. One of them paused and waved at Rose when she saw her looking, forcing a big, fake smile. Rose knew them, they were friends of Cherie, but she'd never really spent any time around them. They seemed catty and cliquish. "We're being watched again," Rose warned quietly.

Dende nodded, smiling at her and giving her a twirl. "And being talked about. They think just because they whisper that I can't hear them, but they might as well be shouting." He looked over at the girls and turned Rose away from them. "At least you have a good taste in friends. I am certainly not green at the thought of being with you." He tilted her down for a dip and leaned in, as if he was giving her a passionate kiss, whispering into her ear, "Sorry. I couldn't resist."

Rose's heart was slamming against her ribs as he bent her backwards, his strong arm holding her securely. She didn't resist him, letting him dip her low towards the floor. His voice in her ear made goosebumps erupt over her skin. He pulled her smoothly back up and she held herself against him as they continued to dance. She suddenly found she didn't care what anyone thought of her, but she didn't want anyone speaking poorly of Dende. They slowed to a stop as the song ended. "You're a really good dancer," she breathed. She hadn't expected that of him.

Dende smiled at her and gave a short bow, "Thank you." He'd never taken lessons before. It was something he just liked to do, "Paige demanded that I dance with her, so its just something I occasionally do. It's nice having a partner who is just my size though." He chuckled, "Are you ready to get something to eat? Looks like they have quite the selection for the discerning vegetarian."

"Sure," she smiled and started for the buffet with him. There was a sharp jerk at her elbow and she was spun around to face two of the bridesmaids who had marched over to her. "Oh! Uh, hi girls," she stammered.

"You don't mind if we steal her for a moment, do you?" one of the girls said in a sickly sweet voice to Dende. "Good," she smiled before he had a chance to answer and they drug Rose across the tent, leaving Dende standing by himself.

Rose suddenly found herself pulled into the circle of bridesmaids, all who looked far too eager for a good piece of gossip.

"So who is he?"

"Is he your boyfriend?"

"WHAT is he?"

"Rose, you could do better."

She blinked at them. "He's my friend. Why are you girls so interested?" she answered.

"Rose, he's green!" one of the girls stated as if the idea were appalling.

"And you're rude," Rose stated, anger bubbling up inside her. "He's a nice person. You shouldn't judge him by the way he looks."

"How can we not?" another girl countered, "Look at him! And the... the..." she put two fingers up to her forehead and wiggled them, "It's creepy!"

Rose glanced over at Dende, her heart breaking at the words from these girls. She drew herself up and squared her shoulders as she looked at them again. "I happen to think he's VERY handsome. And he's the kindest person I've ever known. Now if you will excuse me. And quit gossiping about my date!" She didn't know where her boldness had come from, but an anger surged through her veins at those girls. If that's what "friends" were supposed to be, then she was glad she didn't have many. She turned on her heel and marched over to Dende, frowning and shaking her head.

Dende had an amused smile on his face as Rose marched back over to him. He felt a surge of pride and affection swelling in his chest. He could see the shocked looks on the girls behind her and he nearly rolled his eyes. He locked gazes with the one who'd made fun of his antenna and mocked her gestures, holding his fingers up and wiggling them next to his antenna, before he gave them all a look and tapped his ears before shaking his head. He offered a full plate to Rose, Vegetarian lasagna and other things he knew she liked. "So you think I'm handsome?" He teased her, giving her a toothy grin, one of his fangs showing.

Rose gasped as she took the plate from him. She nearly spilled it and she grabbed at the food as it almost slipped from the plate. "Ow, hot," she said sucking the sauce from her fingers. She looked at him, "I... what? Oh... OH! You, ah, you heard that." Her face went red and she ducked her head, skirting around him to go back to their table and sat down. She drew a sharp breath through her nose as he sat next to her. "W-Well... yes, I do," she admitted quietly. She picked up her fork and poked at her food. There was so much she wanted to admit to him. "I'm sorry about them. Narrow-minded people."

She glared over at the bridesmaids again, narrowing her eyes for a moment, before she looked at Dende. "I really meant what I said," she told him, "Even if I did just kinda blurt it out at them."

Dende laughed out loud as he felt a blush of his own spreading out over his cheeks. "You are very beautiful in return. Thank you for the compliment. I don't get them very often. Well, unless you count the praises of little Paige." He dug into his food, "At least there are good people like you who are open minded and can change the world." He sighed happily, looking over at the bridesmaids, "If it's any consolation, I think you thoroughly embarrassed those bridesmaids."

A rare smirk pulled at her lips. "Good." She looked down at her plate, her cheeks turning pink at his compliment. He really thought she was beautiful?

They ate their dinner, quietly enjoying each other's company and the festivities of the evening. Rose relaxed, forgetting the conversation with the bridesmaids as the evening wore on until it was announced that it was time to toss the bouquet. Cherie had cheerily waved Rose over and she got to her feet, throwing a glance back at Dende who had chuckled and given her a gentle shove towards the dance floor.

The bride tossed the flowers over her shoulder, most of the girls around her dived too far forward and the next thing she knew, the bouquet was in Rose's hands.

Cherie clapped and bounced on her toes, "You're next, Rose!"

Rose giggled nervously and headed back to her table, ducking her head against the cheers that followed her. "Oh my god," she muttered as she sat next to Dende. "Well, that's a superstition that isn't going to happen."

Dende shook his head, a smile on his face, "Now who's selling herself short?" He leaned down and smelled at the fragrant bouquet in her hands, his antenna brushing her hand. He looked up at her through hooded eyes, smiling at her, "You are an amazing person, Rose. Any man in this world would be lucky to have you as his wife. You do so much good in this world. There has to be someone out there with a kind heart that matches yours."

His antenna felt soft against her hand, making little butterflies erupt in her stomach again. That look in his eyes seemed to burn into her soul. She felt a longing for him in that moment, so strong it made her want to scream. Her breathing was shaking. There WAS someone with a kind heart that she wanted. He was right in front of her. "Dende," she said softly, leaning slightly closer to him, the feel of his name sweet on her lips.

There was a bang on the table, making Rose jump. Cherie had rushed over and slammed her hands on the tabletop, her eyes shining. "Rose! I'm getting ready to leave! Come get a picture with me before I go!" Her eyes flickered between Rose and Dende for a moment, "Sorry, Dende, I'll give her right back, I promise." She grabbed Rose by the wrist and pulled her away from the table as Rose cast a longing glance back at Dende.

Dende cursed under his breath. Sooo close. There had been something there. Something. He ached at the way that she said his name. Gods above, help him. It seemed every time they had a moment alone, something was there to interrupt him. Oh by the gods, he wanted her, but maybe the universe was trying to tell him that it wasn't meant to be. He watched her go, putting on a happy face with her friend as they had a few photos snapped of them by the photographer. What ever possessed him to think that he would have a chance with her?

After the photos were taken and the bride and groom said their goodbyes, the party under the tent started to break up. Rose returned to the table and picked up the bouquet. "I guess we should go," she said to him, offering him her hand. She was disappointed. She loved Cherie, but damn her timing. The moment was over and Rose wasn't sure how to get it back. She felt shy all of a sudden. She'd kissed him before, that tiny peck at the Christmas party under the mistletoe, but that was only because they "had" to. She chewed her lip for a second. "Will you walk me home?"

Dende smiled at her and offered his arm over, "Yes, of course. I wouldn't be much of a gentleman if I didnt." He felt disappointed. She looked shy again. Maybe she had come back to her sense. He shook his head and tucked her arm in his and walked them back to her apartment building as slowly as he could. All too soon though, he could see it in the distance and he felt his heart sink. Maybe he could get away with a kiss on the cheek goodbye?

Rose tried to hide her frown as they reached the stairs to her apartment building. She paused and looked up at the brick building, cursing it for being so close to the park. She looked back to Dende. "Thanks for being my date tonight." She withdrew her keys from her purse slowly, fumbling with them, turning them over in her fingers. "And thanks for dancing with me. That was fun."

He smiled at her, "Any time. Thank you for inviting me." He didnt want to go. He ducked his head and placed a kiss on her cheek. "We'll have to do it again some time." He forced himself to move up into the air, waving goodbye before he took off, heading for the Lookout.

Rose's cheek burned where he kissed her. She sadly watched him leave and sank to the concrete steps, feeling very alone. "Don't go," she whispered, pressing the heels of her hands to her eyes, still clutching the flowers and the keys.

It was too late.

Dende had gone and all she had left was a silly bouquet and that empty apartment waiting upstairs.


	37. The Plan

Rose was torn. She didn't know what to do. She'd been given the go-ahead by her supervisor and she'd been in contact with the police and the judge, getting the warrant and setting up their plans. This was an extreme case, normally things like this didn't happen in her line of work. But then again, there had never been such a hard case to figure out before.

Normally, when a child was abused like this, a good line of questioning eventually gave up the abuser. Someone would slip and change their story or eventually just not be able to keep up the lie and admit to what they'd done. But not in this case. Goku maintained his innocence, as did Chichi, each of them saying the other did it. They had each even been called in for questioning by other caseworkers who were much more intimidating than Rose, and still, neither had cracked.

Everyone in the office agreed they'd never seen anything like it.

Rose knew in her heart that it was Chichi who was guilty, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't prove it.

She now sat in the middle of her kitchen floor, the papers and pictures scattered all around her, every scrap of evidence she had come up with, every interview, every home visit documented. But she didn't know if she could go through with it. Tears burned her eyes at the thought of that little boy falling to harm at his mother's hand again. Rose needed someone to talk to. She HAD to talk to someone. But it couldn't be Goku. Because the judge had ordered that if there was no evidence to be found at Chichi's house, a similar plan was to happen at the cabin. The goal was to prove that one parent or the other was guilty without any harm coming to Goten. But still, it was a risk.

Rose bowed her head and closed her eyes, thinking of the only person she could count on to keep a secret. _'Dende,'_ she thought loudly_. 'I know I asked you to stop reading my thoughts, but if there's even the slightest chance you can hear me, I need you right now. Please.'_

Dende heard her. How could he not when someone thought so directly to him? There was something more to Rose that called to him and he knew. He knew he was falling for her. Hard. She was so passionate about her work, her efforts to help those who could not help themselves. She was in pain now. Emotional. Mental. It mixed together and with a quick word to his brother, he took off for her apartment. It took him longer to get there than he thought it would. Urgency makes the quickest of tasks longer.

He knocked on the door, "Rose? It's me."

Rose scrambled to her feet, slicking her hair out of her face. She knew she must've looked terrible; she hadn't hardly slept the past few days, her every waking moment devoted to closing this case as soon as possible. She hadn't even bothered to get dressed that day and had opted to stay in her shorts and a tanktop. She'd sat there on the floor, going over everything again and again, looking for something. Anything. The missing piece to the puzzle. The one thing that could keep her from doing it this way. "Dende," she breathed when she opened the door. "You heard me." She threw herself against him, hugging him tightly, taking comfort in his presence.

Dende was shocked only for a moment before hugged her back. "I heard what you wanted me to hear, but I will not read your thoughts without permission again. What has you so distressed, my dear friend?" he asked, seeing the pain, the distress on her face. "What has caused you so much anguish, Rose?"

"Come inside," she said quietly, pulling him by both wrists into her little apartment and she shut and locked the door behind her. She ran her fingers through her strawberry blonde waves again, adjusting her glasses on the bridge of her nose as she stared at the papers on the floor. "I have to close the Son case soon," she said. "But I can't find one scrap of evidence here as to which parent abused Goten. I know it's not Goku. I just know it. But without being able to prove that, there's not much I can do. There's a plan to catch Mrs. Son in the act. I don't even know if it will work, but it's the best we could come up with. And Dende... oh, it just makes me sick." She pressed her lips together and looked away from him, squeezing her eyes closed, fighting the tears she felt again.

Dende's eyes widened. "Catch her in the act? You mean to have her harm Goten again?! After all those marks on his body? Those scars? Not even I can heal those scars, I've tried. There's so much hate in them. They are too old, and healed once by senzu beans." He ran a hand over his head, his antennae twitching in the air. "I just do not understand it. Chichi has the potential to be a great mother, but she throws it all away. She has let hatred control her life. She has made her mistakes, but continues to blame them on others. Oh Rose. If she has another chance to harm Goten after all that has happened, it will not be good."

"I know," Rose said in a shaking voice, turning to him, big tears leaking from her eyes. "Dende, help me. There has to be another way to prove that Goku's innocent. I'm worried that if I can't prove one or the other did it, then they're just going to take custody away from both of them and adopt Goten out to another family. He'd never see Goku again." Her voice cracked and she wiped at her face, trying to calm herself. "Dende, I'm sorry. I don't mean to cry, I'm just so frustrated because I can't figure this one out. I can't see any other way to prove to the judge that this wasn't Goku's fault." She flopped miserably on the floor, sitting cross-legged, staring at her work again. "It's all set up for tomorrow, unless I can come up with something else." She shook her head, fighting the tears that came anyway.

Dende moved to sit with her on the floor, thinking it over in his head. "Rose, Goten is a smart boy. And he is stronger than you think. I am sure he will understand after the fact why you had to do this. We will have to be there for him afterwards. Bring him back here if we can. Treat him with pizza, mountains of food. Ice cream, movies. I will be there if you need me. I can heal him immediately afterwards. If it's that fresh, it shouldn't be a problem. I can instill him with the peace he needs, to help him understand. It will be the last time she hurts him."

Rose slowly closed her eyes, hoping Dende was right. "Am I doing the right thing?" she whispered. She felt absolutely sick to think that she was putting that little boy in harm's way again. She carefully slipped her hand into Dende's, her fingers entwining with his. Her heart fluttered, but it was different this time. There was that swooping, butterfly feeling, yes, but alongside it was a familiar warmth as if they'd always been there to comfort each other. She didn't understand it and she didn't have time to think about it. All she could do was appreciate it for the moment. She squeezed his hand and opened her eyes, looking at him. "Tell me there's another way," she begged softly. "I feel like the biggest failure in the world because I can't think of any other way to do this."

Dende had to resist the urge to lean down and kiss the top of her knuckles. He looked at her seriously, "No, Rose. Do not you dare to think like that. You are doing nothing wrong. You are doing nothing but giving a mother a chance to prove you wrong. If anyone is going to fail, it will be her who dares to harm an innocent. I will be with you. Where ever you tell me to be tomorrow, I will heal whatever harm comes to him. We should not expect the worse to happen, but prepare for it anyway." He closed his eyes, knowing in his heart that Chichi would not rise above her hatred now. He had a feeling Chichi's journey was just beginning. The hex placed upon her was working, but it would take time.

"Thank you, Dende," Rose said, taking a small comfort in his words. He was right. This was Chichi's chance to prove that she was a good mother, that she wasn't mean or abusive to her son. "I don't know what I would do without you," she murmured, leaning her head on his strong shoulder for a moment. She wondered what was going to happen once this was all over. She wondered if maybe, subconsciously, she'd been dragging her feet about working too hard on this case because she was worried that once it was closed, she'd go back to being alone again. She loved Goku and Dende too much to lose them now. She finally felt like she had friends and she didn't know how she could handle it if she lost them. She pulled back from him suddenly, looking into his dark eyes. "Dende, can I ask you something? When this is all over, will... will we still be friends?"

Dende chuckled, "What sort of question is that? Of course we will still be friends. You have not only done my friends a great service for all the work you have put in to make sure Goten is well taken care of, you have helped countless many others without many thanks. I will be listening to you always, Rose. You have but to ask of me and I will be here at your side."

Her heart melted at his words. She nodded, fighting fresh tears of relief at his words. No matter what happened, she would at least have Dende by her side. "Thank you," she said softly. "If she hurts him again tomorrow, I want you to heal him as soon as possible. I don't care what anyone else says about it. We can't leave him hurting. Not again." She exhaled a long sigh. "I wish you could heal his scars. I don't think they're ever going to go away. Poor Goten, to always have that reminder of what his mother did to him. I can't imagine it."

Dende nodded, "I will be here I will wait with you. I will wait with whomever you wish me to. I will heal him. I will grant him the insight to understand why we do what we do. Should the worst come to pass, you and I will be there for him." He drew her into a tighter hug.

Rose threw her arms around him, burying her face into the crook of his neck, breathing in deeply his scent. "I'm so lucky to have you as a friend, Dende," she said. She was half tempted to crawl into his lap and just let herself be held by him. She didn't know why she felt so comfortable around him and so excited at the same time. She wished she knew. Perhaps she'd be able to control her mouth better if she did. "I wish we could just run away together."

Dende blinked at her odd sentence, "If only we could. We have so many who depend on us. Yet so few we can depend on. I understand. But it is not so bad. If we ran way, what would happen to those who are counting on us? If we do nothing, what will happen to poor Goten? Will he be adopted into another family who does not feed him enough food? Would he go back to Chichi? We are needed here, Rose."

Rose sighed and nodded. "You're right," she said sadly and sat up. She started gathering up the papers and pictures on the floor, placing them neatly back into the file. "Even if I did take some time off, I wouldn't know what to do with myself. I'd still be thinking about work." She quickly snatched up a notebook laying there amongst the papers and stuck it into the file, trying not to blush, hoping she didn't look too conspicuous. It was her personal journal, her musings about what was going on, her feelings for Goku and for Dende, as if writing them down would help her to sort them out. She didn't meet Dende's eyes as she continued to pick up her mess. "I'm not sure where to have you wait for me tomorrow," she said. "I don't know what's going to happen. I know they're planning on having some sort of EMTs on standby near the house, but they won't be able to heal him like you could. That's just in case she did something really stupid."

Dende winced. "I won't let her do that. If she does something stupid, it's only going to hurt herself. Arthusia put a hex on her. Everything will return back to her, times three. It will not be pretty, even now. I will be there. Goten will not suffer any more. We will bring him back here, give him ice cream, let him cook. We should go out and get what he needs to make pasta. He loves pasta. Sabriena's recipe; I think he has memorized it by now."

"Go out? Now?" Rose asked, blinking at him. She gathered up the last of the papers and tucked it all into the file as she got to her feet. "O-Okay." She looked down at her clothes, deciding she wasn't suitable to go out in public like that. "Let me get cleaned up." She set the file on the counter and headed to her room to change. She couldn't possibly think about food in a minute like that, but Dende was right. It would be like that night when the three of them had had their pizza party a few months ago. Maybe it would help Goten to feel better.

Dende near smacked himself in the face, but held it together and called after her, "Or I can just go out. Tell me what to get you to eat tonight because I'd be willing to bet, psychic or not, you haven't eaten much today."

"I'm fine," Rose called back down the hallway. "I'm not hungry." She pulled on a pair of jeans and a nicer top, then slicked her hair back into a short ponytail. She glanced at herself in the mirror. She still didn't look great, no makeup, her hair needing a wash, but it was a little better at least. She was just going to the store, after all. She returned to the living room and grabbed her purse. "I'm not going to make you go shopping by yourself for me. I'm okay. Maybe a bit of fresh air will help me clear my mind anyway."

Dende smiled and nodded, offering his arm as he always did before they left her apartment. Once they reached the store, they grabbed two carts like they did the last time they had taken Goten shopping. They grabbed up plenty of food, chips and queso, spaghetti and meatballs, fresh pizza. Every single comfort food they could think of. Dende even sprung for some board games for them to play. Hopefully Goten would understand.

They carted all the food home and put it away in Rose's little kitchen. She hoped it would be enough. She hoped he would understand. She hoped that somehow, some day, he would forgive her for putting him through this.

She turned to Dende, offering him a small smile. "I can't tell you thank-you enough," she said. "I really do appreciate everything you've done to help me." Without thinking she stepped closer, pressing her lips against his cheek. "Thank you, Dende," she whispered in his ear.

Dende closed his eyes, smiling faintly and turning to press his lips to her cheek, "You are most welcome, Rose." He hugged her tightly, "Would you like me to stay here tonight, or come back in the morning?"

Rose's heart fluttered as his firm lips pressed against her cheek. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him close, loving the feel of his arms around her. "Stay," she whispered. "Please." She couldn't stand to be alone that night. "I don't know if we'll sleep much, I'm so worked up and stressed out about tomorrow. But I really don't want to be alone, if you think you can stand to put up with me for that long."

Dende smiled at her. "I wouldn't have offered if I couldn't," he hugged her tightly, "you are a remarkable woman, I think I could do this for an entire millennia. I'll be here for you. Why don't you go change? I'll make us some food and you can pick out a movie."

Rose nodded. "I won't make you sleep on the couch tonight," she said. "We can sleep together." Her eyes went wide, her cheeks flushing pink, "I - I mean, sleep as in, you know, SLEEP... in the bed... not like that..." She clapped her hands to her face. "Oh gods."

Dende force a smile before he turned away from her, his body hardening at her words, even though he knew what she meant. "I understand. Thank you. Now, go get cleaned up, I will make us some stir fry." Dear gods, do not let him have a repeat of the night he fell asleep on her couch.

* * *

"Sorry the bed is sort of small," Rose apologized as they prepared for bed that night. She pulled back the covers and crawled into it on one side, suddenly grateful for her skinny frame. She'd always wished she was a bit more curvy, more like Sabriena, but now that she laid down in the bed, she was happy for it.

"It's not a problem," Dende assured her as he settled himself next to her and pulled the blankets up over them. Oh, it was so hard to resist the temptation to close the space between their bodies, to hold her, kiss her. He bit the inside of his lip and choked down a whimper as his fang pierced the skin. She looked so beautiful as she lay next to him, her coppery blonde hair fanned out on the pillow around her head like a halo.

Rose clicked off the light on her bedside table after double checking her alarm clock and laid on her side to stare at Dende in the soft light that fell through her bedroom window. Goodness, he was handsome. How wonderful would it be to crawl into bed with him every night and just feel that soft comfort of his presence as she slept. Her eyes met his and she gave him a tiny, shy smile. "I'm so glad you stayed with me tonight," she whispered. "I know I'll sleep well tonight with you here beside me."

"Oh Rose," he sighed, reaching out and taking her hand in his. "I'll always be here for you. Sleep now. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

She twisted her fingers into his, a smile still pulling at her full lips as she closed her eyes. "Goodnight, Dende," she whispered as she drifted off to sleep.

"Goodnight, my love," he whispered back so quietly that even if she had been awake, he doubted she would have heard him.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I think all you lovely reviewers deserve another shout-out for being so faithful to reviewing our stories! So I just have to say to **dbzfangirl1, amkula, GreenSaiyan, nancy103, Hakudoshi, Reign of Sorrow, and all our guests, **you guys fucking rock. Seriously, your support means the world to me. JC 87 and I love hearing from you guys and interacting with you. You make it worthwhile for us to spend so much time working on these stories. It means so much to me to know that there are people out there who support my writing, even when there are people in my life who do not and think it is a waste of my time. I know better because of you guys. So from the bottom of my mushy, silly heart, thank you.


	38. Safe at Last

Dende sat nervously in the ambulance with the medical professionals, where Rose instructed him to wait while she got Goten and took him to Chichi's house. The ambulance was just down the road, hidden from view of the house and they were all waiting with baited breath to see what came over the radio on the situation. He had gotten a few looks from the medical professionals, but was quickly able to show them his healing abilities, mending a cut a medic had on their arm. He could have told them all that the plan was going to work. It was only a matter of time. Especially since arriving, he could sense Chichi's anger at the situation all the way from where he was. She was annoyed that she had to have a chaperone when around Goten.

Rose rang the doorbell, smiling at Chichi when she opened the door. "Here we are!" she said, entering the house with Goten, "Just like we scheduled."

"Oh, my baby!" Chichi cried, dropping to her knees to wrap her arms around Goten, big tears welling in her eyes as she hugged him.

Rose forced a smile again, taking a step back towards the bookcase in the living room, one hand slightly behind her back, the tiny camera hidden in her hand. She inconspicuously placed it on a shelf and aimed it out towards the room, hoping she had placed it right. She immediately slid her hands into her pockets to hide how bad they were shaking.

Their visit went as normal for several minutes before Rose's phone rang. She answered, pretending to be shocked that she was immediately needed on another case, when in reality the officer in the surveillance van was telling her the camera was in the right place and she needed to leave the house. Rose hung up the phone, looking at Chichi, "Mrs. Son, I'm so sorry, but I have to run," Rose said, heading for the door. "It's an emergency at work. Can you keep an eye on Goten? I'll be back in a few hours!" And without even letting Chichi or Goten get a word out, Rose hurried out the door.

Dende closed his eyes against the fresh wave of fear that spiked in little Goten when he spotted Rose leaving the house. He prayed to the goddess that this would be over soon.

Rose gave a pointed look down the road towards where she knew Dende was, then got in her car and drove the opposite way towards the awaiting officers, joining them quickly inside the van to watch the camera she'd left.

Goten stared after Rose where she had left. He swallowed harshly and grasped at his Thor's hammer around his neck before looking up at his mother. He looked down at the glass in his other hand, seeing that it was shaking. He didn't want his mother to think he was afraid. "I've been keeping up with my homework, Momma."

"That's good, Goten," she said, although her tone had turned decidedly cold and her tears had vanished. "And what about what we talked about? About you keeping your mouth shut and not talking to these people when they ask you questions?"

Goten felt the blood draining from his face and nodded. His little hands wouldn't stop shaking. He didn't like that tone. 'Come back Miss Rose, please come back,' he recited over and over in his head as he forced himself to nod. "I haven't said anything, Momma. I've been good, I swear it!" He couldn't keep holding the glass and made to set it on the table in front of him, but the tremors got the best of him. He squeezed too tightly on the cup when his mother moved to cross her arms and it shattered, spilling bright red koolaid and glass all over the table and the carpet. His eyes went wide; his hand was cut as well but he looked to her, "I'm so sorry, Momma! I'll clean it up!"

"Oh, GOTEN! What is WRONG with you?!" she screeched, seeing the bright red stain all over her pristine white carpet. "Can't you do anything right?! I swear, you're just as stupid and clumsy as your father!" She grabbed him by the arm and yanked him towards her, leaning over, her face mere inches from his. "I am so SICK of this! We finally get an afternoon together without that bitch of a caseworker breathing down my neck and the first thing you want to do is trash the house?! You know what this means, mister! And take that ugly thing off of your neck!" she ordered, looking at the necklace he wore.

Rose had her hands clasped together and pressed to her lips, her eyes glued to the screen, fear and self-loathing racing through her system.

Goten grasped his necklace tightly, large tears welling in his eyes. "No! Please, Momma, no! I didn't mean it, I'll clean it up. Please let me clean it up!" he cried, tears slipping down his cheeks. At his mother's threatening gaze, he shakily lifted the necklace off his neck and set it on the table. "Please let me clean it up, Momma."

"You wouldn't do it right, anyway," she snipped and turned to march down the hall, leaving him standing there. She grabbed the little bag of senzu beans out of her drawer, then retrieved the switch from where she'd hidden it behind a loose grate covering an air vent. She tucked the bag into her pocket, then returned to the living room, twisting the switch in both hands. "I know you're not getting the proper discipline at that other house. It's obvious with the way you don't even have enough respect to not trash our home the second you get here. Now turn around and lower your power level," she said in a frighteningly calm voice.

Goten was horrified and he backed away from her, but paused. He had once tried to run away but it had only meant she gave him a more severe beating. "No please, Momma, please don't use that. Please!" He was blubbering now, his face red, tears pouring down his face, his nose running. His lip trembled and he closed his eyes and turned around, shaking visibly as he lowered his power level. "Momma please," he begged in a tiny voice.

Dende moved to go outside of the ambulance and moved to stand just behind it, peering down the road at the house as he felt Goten's energy lower.

Rose was crying with him, poised on the edge of her seat, ready to run to him the second Chichi made an aggressive move. Threatening wasn't enough to prove her guilt. Rose had to let it happen, even though she swore she would never forgive herself. What kind of a fucked up world did they live in to have to use a child like this, just to keep him safe? It made no sense to her at all.

Chichi grabbed the back of her son's shirt and pulled it up over his head, revealing his already scarred back. She reared back and swung the switch with such force that the first hit split his skin, blood trickling down his back.

Goten cried out, a loud wail of pain as his body broke and bled. He was in so much pain, the pain from the glass in his hand was nothing to the fresh wound on his back. Cutting through scar tissue, he would swear it felt like his back was being cut open. "Momma, please stop!" he cried out, not bothering to hide his shaking and being this weak, he nearly lost his footing.

Dende about needed to cover his ears, but he took off running towards Rose. "Stop her! Stop her now!" he cried.

Rose was panicked as she ran, seeing Dende run with her as the police swarmed the house. The officers kicked the door in before Rose got to it, grabbed Chichi and wrestled her to the floor and handcuffed her, proclaiming she was under arrest.

"WHAT IS THIS?!" Chichi screamed, kicking and trying to squirm out from under the officer who had his knee in her back. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Rose and Dende enter the house. "You did this! You set me up!" she accused.

Rose was going to be sick, seeing Goten's back. Chichi had gotten three good hits on him before they could get to him. "Goten, c'mere, baby," Rose said gently, going to him and picking him up carefully, cradling the little boy to her chest, tucking his head under her chin. She turned towards Dende, seeing the look of horror on his face, his hands starting to glow. "Wait," she said, "We have to document this, then you can heal him." She was crying, holding Goten carefully, his little arms wrapped around her neck.

Dende nodded before he turned and looked at Chichi, the hatred seeping from her was overwhelming and was nearly enough to knock him off his feet. He looked at her sadly. "You did this to yourself," he said before he went forward and retrieved the senzu beans from her pocket. "These are meant to heal, not cover up your mistakes." He turned and followed Rose out to the ambulance, watching as she and the doctors documented everything. The hand with glass in it, the three large gashes on his back. They bit into his skin deeply, so much more that what a mother disciplining her child would ever do.

"Goten, I'm sorry," Rose whispered as she sat with him in her lap, his back exposed to the doctor and the officer who took pictures, then left with a grim expression on his face. Rose waved Dende over, "Heal him, Dende, please. Please heal him," she sobbed, holding him tightly, but making sure not to touch the marks on his back. She felt absolutely wretched. "Please forgive me, Goten," she murmured in his ear. "I'm so sorry that I had to leave you like that."

Goten sobbed harder, holding onto her tightly. He had been so afraid, so terrified. Why did his mother hate him so? Why?! All he ever wanted to be was a good boy. He was a good son, wasn't he?

Dende lifted his hands, glowing golden light and set to work healing the brave child. "Goten. She doesn't hate you, but she doesn't like herself very much at all, you did nothing wrong, child, nothing." He closed his eyes against the tremendous hate he felt inside of these wounds. He sent waves of comfort into him, peace, soothing. The wounds healed, becoming whole flesh once more.

Rose buried her face into Goten's hair, hugging him back just as tightly, relief washing over her as Dende healed the little boy.

One of the EMTs watched in fascination, never having seen anything like it before in his life. "Wow," he breathed. "Man, I wish I could do that! It'd make my job a heck of a lot easier. Hey, you want a job?" he offered the Namek.

Rose narrowed her eyes at the young man. "Thank you, we'll be going now," she said as she stood up and fixed Goten's shirt over his back. "You wanna come stay with me and Dende tonight?" she asked gently, wiping the tears from his face. "We bought all sorts of food for you to cook with. We even bought you some new movies and some board games."

Goten blinked at Rose and Dende, he felt better, amazingly better, and a calm, reassuring feeling washed over him. He wanted his daddy, but they kept telling him no. He nodded, reaching into his pocket and putting the little necklace on again. He would never take it off again. He hugged Rose's neck tightly, not wanting to let go. He could hear his mother screeching as she was taken to a cop car. Dende rubbed Goten's back. "Don't you worry about her; she will never harm you again. Never ever. And soon, you'll get to see your dad again. As much as you want."

Rose felt like she'd swallowed a block of ice. She was going to have to tell Goku what had happened, what she had allowed to happen, the part she'd played in this. She suddenly felt even more miserable as she walked beside Dende, carrying Goten to her car. She buckled him in and shut the door, turning to Dende, speaking in a soft voice, "Goku's going to hate me," she said. "I have to tell him, though. He has to know what happened here today. I can't let him go to court and be blind-sided by that video when they show it."

Dende placed a hand on her arm, "Rose, Goku is not going to hate you. You should know that about him by now. The man does not have a mean bone in his body. You gave Chichi a chance to prove to everyone that she never laid a finger on him, that she could change. He will thank you for saving his son, for getting him away from that. It is Chichi who should be fearful of Goku's wrath. Now let's get him home. He deserves a medal, a hot meal, and ice cream. He deserves whatever we can give him."

Rose nodded and got into the car, quickly leaving the scene behind them. Goten would never have to go back in that house and he would never again be abused by his mother. Rose was certain of it. Now all that was left was to figure out how to convince the judge that Goku's home was suitable for Goten, despite the fact that it didn't measure up to their government guidelines. Gods, that was starting to piss her off. Not every child needed the same cookie-cutter standards. Sometimes there were exceptions to the rules. She didn't know how she was going to pull this off, but she had to try.

"Rose," Dende said slowly, not wanting to alarm her that he had been listening to her thoughts, but he had let his powers go during the whole situation, "I apologize for reading your thoughts, but perhaps you could convince the judge to let Goten stay with his brother and Lindsey with full custody to either Goku or Gohan and unlimited visitation." He looked back at Goten who was quiet and staring out the window. He was hurting on the inside now, he didn't understand what was going on, why his mother hurt him. He didn't know what to think about Rose leaving him like that.

Rose pressed her lips thin and nodded. "The judge would be much more likely to approve that than to let him stay with Goku," she said sadly. She didn't mind that Dende was reading her thoughts at the moment. Perhaps he could make more sense of them than she could. She reached over and grasped Dende's hand, trying not to shiver at the sensation that shot up her arm and made her heart flutter. "Thank you for helping me today," she said. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Dende smiled at her, "Any time Rose, you have but to ask." He looked back at Goten, "Are you alright?"

Goten didn't know if he was or not. Momma got in trouble because of him, but then Dende said she would never be able to hurt him again. He looked up at Rose. "Can I go see my Daddy now?" he asked.

Dende smiled at the little one, "Rose has a few more things she has to do this afternoon and evening. How about we go see your dad tomorrow? You can maybe even see if they will go fishing with you." He thought, presenting a thought to Rose as well, _'We can tell Goku what happened tomorrow.'_

"Tonight Goten, it's all about you, we are going to cook up a storm, and I hear tell you are a whiz at monopoly," Dende said to the little boy in the backseat.

Rose gave a jump as she heard Dende's voice in her head. She looked wide-eyed at him, wondering if she'd imagined it or not, but the look he fixed her with confirmed that she had indeed heard his thoughts. That was wild. How had that happened? She'd never experienced anything like that before. She reached out carefully with her mind, testing this_. 'Okay. That sounds like a good plan.'_ She wasn't sure what to do now. She liked this connection, knowing that she and Dende could communicate like this. But at the same time, it terrified her. What if she slipped and he saw how she felt about him? How she felt about Goku at the same time? She was so confused, her heart all twisted up, her mind telling her that both were wrong.

Dende smiled at her, hiding a look of his own and quickly bowed out of her thoughts. So she had feelings for Goku as well. She needed more time to sort her own feelings out before he presented her with his. Still, he couldn't help feeling a little disappointed that he did not have her full attention. And she was only fooling herself if she ever thought that Goku would leave his mates. _'Don't worry, I am not reading your thoughts, just merely projecting what I am thinking into your mind. I only hear the words you want me to. Clever trick is it not? You may pretend to be psychic if you like.'_

Rose gave a little giggle. This was fun. 'Pretend to be psychic, huh?' she thought to him_. 'Maybe I should go snooping around in your head for awhile. You've been in mine so many times. Now what to look for?'_ She tried not to smile too big, already feeling better than she had for several days. _'Poke, poke. There has to be something you haven't shared with me, some embarrassing story or secret that I could use to make you squirm,' _she thought, teasing him.

Dende couldn't resist and leaned back in his seat, casting her a sly sideways glance_. 'Oh, I imagine there are quite a few things you can use to make me squirm,' _he thought suggestively and waggled his eyebrows at her. He chuckled when he saw her cheeks color.

_'DENDE!' _her mind scolded. She'd never heard him be so forward before. She could feel her face burning as she looked away from him, focusing on driving through the city for a moment. She was taking the long way back to her apartment, she knew that, but she was enjoying this too much. She finally looked at him, her lips pursed and eyes narrowing slightly. _'You have NO idea what you're getting yourself into. Watch out, or I WILL leave you squirming.' _She gave a little snicker, thinking that she had always loved joking like this with him. But then, they'd never joked like this. It was that strange sense again that she'd known him for as long as she could remember.

Dende chuckled, _'A promise is that?'_ He smirked. _''You wouldn't do that, I've never know you to be so cruel.'_

Goten frowned at the grown-ups, they were laughing at some secret joke, he could tell. He just shook his head; he didn't understand them sometimes.

Rose took his words as a challenge_. 'Oh, is that so?'_ she thought, before she concentrated for a moment, remembering the last time she'd taken a shower. She projected the image to him of herself, standing before the foggy full-length mirror, her hand reaching out and wiping away the steam to reveal her face framed by her damp, tussled locks of hair, her bare shoulders, the rest of her nude form obscured by the steam clinging to the mirror.

Dende's mouth dropped open and he snapped it shut a moment later as a hot blush formed on his cheeks. She was beyond beautiful to him. He shuddered before he saw the playful smirk on her face. "You little minx," he growled.

Rose flashed him a big smile before she threw her head back and laughed. "Hey, I warned you," she said as she pulled up to her parking space in front of her apartment. She felt rather proud of herself in that moment, seeing Dende's jaw dropping open like that. She never knew she could have that sort of effect on a man. She got out of the car, still smiling at Dende, then helped Goten out of his seat.

"Okay, Goten," she said gently, picking him up and carrying him, even though she knew perfectly well that he was capable of walking. She just wanted to hold him and make him feel safe. "You don't mind staying the night here at my place again, do you?"

Goten smiled at her, wrapping his arms around her neck and he nodded, "Yeah." He laid his head down on her shoulder, he was tired now, for some reason. "Can I take a nap and then we cook?" he asked, hesitantly, but he felt safe around Rose, even more so with Dende there.

"Sure," she answered as they climbed the stairs of the apartment building. She rubbed softly at his back, speaking softly to him. "I'm so sorry for what happened today, Goten. One day, you will understand, I hope." She carried him inside and down the little hall to her bedroom. He was already snoring softly on her shoulder as she tucked him into her bed, pulling off his little shoes and running her fingers through his untidy hair. She planted a tiny kiss on his forehead, then left the room, closing the door behind her. "So, you going to challenge me anymore or was that enough?" she asked Dende in a teasing tone.

Dende smiled at her as he went into the kitchen. "Yes, well. I am not certain I can top what you just showed me. What a delight that will be later on I think," he chuckled. Good heavens, what had gotten into him? He never joked about this. But with her, he felt as if they had done it before and it was alright because she wouldn't hold the flirting against him. He showed her an image of himself, his mirror back at the Lookout and he did not have the coverage of steam to be modest, but a turn to the side, and he could hide what he liked with his leg.

Rose gasped at the image in her head and her face blushed all over again. "Dende!" she cried, giving his arm a playful swat. "What has gotten into you?" Her face turned even redder as she thought about what he'd said, about the image of her in the mirror would be a delight later on. What was he planning to do with that image? Oh. Oh gods! "You are so NAUGHTY!" she accused, grabbing up a dishtowel and swatting him with it over and over. But, then again, she now had the mental image of his body in her head. His beautiful green skin, the muscles of his body that he usually kept hidden beneath his tunic, the smile on his face that ever so slightly revealed his fangs. Gods, it was just how she'd pictured him when she'd had all of those incredibly sexy dreams about him. She shoved the dreams from her head, hoping he hadn't seen that. That was taking things way too far.

Dende chuckled and playfully avoided her swats. He started mixing a few things together, a tried and true chocolate cake recipe that Jenny had showed him how to make, one of Grandma Arthusia's classic recipes. However, she had also shown him how to imbue in it a feel good spell, a spell for protection and wellbeing. Dende smiled to himself as he mixed it up, just what Goten needed. He closed his eyes, listening across the way as Chichi was trying to defend herself by saying she was exercising her right as a parent to discipline her child as she saw fit.

Rose smiled as she watched Dende mixing up the cake batter, seemingly lost in his task and his thoughts. She was so torn. She loved spending time with him, talking with him, the butterflies she got from being around him. But they were just too different, weren't they? And then there was Goku, strong handsome Goku, with that warm laugh who had been the first person to befriend her in a long time. But he was married and deep down, she knew she couldn't have him. She'd never been so confused in her life. She caught Dende looking at her and she smiled at him. "I get to lick the bowl, right?" she teased, giving him a wink.

Dende smiled warmly at her, giving her a wink as he scraped the batter into a cake pan and scraped the last bit onto the wooden spoon and held it out for her. "Care for a taste?"

Feeling flirty and just a bit naughty again, Rose leaned forward, capturing the spoon in her mouth, and moaned at the taste. It was rich and decadent in a way she'd never tasted before. She locked her eyes on his as she sucked it, pulling back to let her tongue play over the spoon for just a moment before she stood up straight again. She was so caught up in the moment that she stumbled over her words as she spoke to him, "Mmmm, Dende you taste so good... I... I mean THAT tastes so good!" She clapped her hands to her face, laughing in embarrassment. "We gotta stop."

Dendes eyes widened and his face went bright purple looking at her a moment before he joined her with laughter. "You are an amazing woman, Rose," he chuckled, trying very hard to not to imagine Rose with the chocolate batter on her finger, her neck. His mouth watered. He did have a sweet tooth.

"Have you tasted it yet?" she asked, reaching for the bowl and swiping up a bit of the chocolate batter on her finger. She held her hand out to him as if offering to let him suck on her finger, but at the last second she tapped her finger against his lips and pulled her hand back, leaving a large spot of chocolate where she'd touched him. She giggled playfully again and sucked her own finger clean, trying not to laugh at his expression.

Dendes eyes went wide again and he slowly licked his lips clean, wishing. Wishing above wishing that she had let him taste her finger. How would that have been. He would've loved it. It would have been fantastic, "This should be just what we need. I would make icing, but I'm now sure how we would do with that." He winked at her.

"But you can't have cake without icing!" she protested. She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted her big, full lips, giving him puppy-dog eyes. "I promise I'll be good! Please, Dende? Pleeeeeease?" She was having too much fun, begging him like this. She batted her blue eyes, clasping her hands together as she continued to pout. "Please?"

Dende laughed and reached over, ruffling her hair, "Alright, alright. You and that face, you have been spending too much time with Goten, you have been perfecting his big eyes." He carefully mixed together a cream cheese frosting with more chocolate. He grinned at her and dipped his finger into it and held it out to her, leaning on the counter.

Rose hesitated, wondering if he was going to pull her own trick on her, but she leaned forward and captured his finger in her mouth. She hummed around it, the delicious flavor bursting over her tongue. It was sweet and rich as she sucked it from his finger. The taste of his skin mixed with it and made her knees go weak. She let her tongue play along the digit for a moment, even after the icing was gone before she pulled back, her cheeks hollowing once more as she released him with a pop of her lips.

Dendes eyes fluttered as she sucked on his finger, his heart pounding in his chest. Good gods above, what was this woman doing to him? He never felt this way about anyone. And she made him feel as if she'd been in his life for a long time already, "You know how to tease a man."

Rose didn't know what in the world she was doing. She knew she cared for Dende, despite their differences, but was this what she really wanted? She stepped closer to him, holding his gaze, her heart hammering against her ribs. "Dende," she said softly, reaching up to cup his face, tilting her head slightly, inviting him in for a kiss. She had to know if this was right and the only way she could think of to find out would be to kiss him.

Dende's heart pounded, louder and louder until it was the only thing he could hear. Their lips were mere millimeters apart when the small voice, thick with sleep reached his ears, "Mister Dende? Miss Rose?" He pulled back from Rose second later to see Goten wander into the living room, rubbing at his eyes with a fist, "Goten. Are you alright? Did you get enough sleep?"

Goten nodded and toddled over to them, "I am hungry, would it be alright if I cooked?"

Rose smiled and went over to Goten. "Sure it is, buddy. Come on, Dende's got everything all set up for you." She placed her hands on his shoulders and steered him towards the kitchen, her heart sinking. Perhaps this was a sign that she and Dende weren't meant to be. She gave him a brief, sad glimpse and looked down at Goten again. "I can't wait to eat your cooking again," she said sincerely.

Dende had to fight the urge to just kiss Rose right then and there, Goten or not. His heart ached and he didn't know why. He reached out, catching Roses cheek with his palm, gently cupping her face. He smiled at her, and let his thumb trail over her lips, soft and beautiful. _ 'We will have to continue our discussion on icing at a later date,' _he thought towards her, giving her a wink before he turned his attention to Goten who was going crazy over the amount of food they had and was starting to list off things he wanted to make.

Rose blinked and gave a nod as she pulled away from him, feeling very confused in that moment. It couldn't have been coincidence that Goten just happened to walk in at that very moment, could it? The moment Rose was hinging her feelings on, trying to determine if she and Dende could work and then they were interrupted when she was so close to kissing him? She shook her head, looking away from Goten and Dende to hide the sad expression on her face. _'Perhaps it was a sign that we should steer clear of icing at all,'_ she thought.


	39. Out of Time

Rose's hands shook violently as she stepped into the cabin the next morning. She could feel the blood draining from her face and she knew she had to look terrified. Truth was, she was terrified. As she thought back over all the cases she'd worked on, all the parents she'd faced, all the times spent in court, she realized she had never been more terrified than she was at this very moment. The air was still rather cold this far north in the early springtime and she hoped that Goku and his mates would believe that was the reason she shivered so harshly now.

She should've let Dende come with her. He'd offered to, but she'd sent him home, saying it was her responsibility to tell Goku what had happened. Oh, how she wished he was at her side now.

She licked her lips and met Goku's eyes. She tried to give him an apologetic stare. "I have something to tell you," she began nervously, "and you're not going to like it. And I swear to you, Goku, if there had been any other way to do it, I would have."

Tien didn't like where this was going. He crossed his arms over his chest as he sat in his chair and fixed Rose with an intense stare as she stood there speaking to Goku. If Goten was in danger, he was putting an end to it. Now. He'd had enough and his patience was wearing thin with this whole mess. This had been going on for the better part of a year. One more snag, one more hoop they had to jump through and he was going to go straight to Goten and bring him home.

Rose drew a deep breath as she met Goku's eyes. "We set Mrs. Son up," she began. "We couldn't figure out any other way to prove that she was Goten's abuser. I set up a camera in her home and I, well, I had to leave Goten with her. She hit him again."

"WHAT?!" Sabriena screamed and jumped to her feet, knocking her chair over with a clatter. Her hair and eyes started to glow. "You better explain and you better explain _now_ before I turn you into a crusty little pile of ashes on that floor!"

Rose gave a terrified squeak and stepped back. "We got to him and got him away from her!" she cried. "Dende was with me and he healed Goten. He's not hurt! I, I mean he WAS, but only for a minute and we got the evidence we need to close the case. Mrs. Son was arrested. She won't have custody of Goten anymore!" She cringed and tried to shrink away from Sabriena. "Please don't hurt me."

Sabriena flexed her fingers as if she wanted to reach out and choke Rose, but she calmed herself, righted her chair, and sat back down. "You're damn lucky Dende was with you."

Goku didn't know what to think. He was livid that Chichi had been allowed to touch his son again. He stood there quietly for a moment as he allowed his thoughts and emotions to run through his mind. He finally swallowed hard as he looked at her and nodded. He looked over at Tien and Sabriena before he turned back at Rose. "Is Goten alright? He's a strong kid. Did you explain it to him? Can I see him?"

"I can bring him out to visit soon," Rose promised. She peeked up at Goku, expecting to see anger in his eyes, but there was none. Relief crashed through her as she realized that he wasn't angry with her. "Goku," she said, an excitement touching her blue eyes. "Don't you realize what this means? You got Goten back! All I have to do is clean up my report a little bit, submit it to the judge and this whole thing will be over! You'll get your son back! And if you want him to stay with Gohan, I'll put that in my recommendation."

Goku felt as if a whole weight had lifted off of his shoulders and an excitement welled up in his chest. He rushed forward and lifted her up in his arms to swing her around, "Yes! Thank you, thank you! Please put it in your recommendation. I just want to be able to see my boy again without being watched all the time."

Rose hugged his neck, her heart swelling. "I understand! Okay, okay, I have to get back to the office. I have to get my final report written up so I can get it submitted first thing in the morning!"

Goku kissed her cheek and sat her back down on the ground, "Thank you so much again, Rose. For everything! I'll go tell Gohan the news! He'll be so relieved! Do you need me to take you back?" He was beaming, he couldn't contain himself.

"That would help! If you don't mind? It's a long flight back to the city," she answered, her cheek burning where he'd kissed it, butterflies erupting in her stomach. Goku told Tien and Sabriena he'd be back shortly, just as he always did, and the next thing Rose knew, they were standing in front of her office building.

Rose was practically bouncing on the sidewalk. "Oh, I'm just so happy! Everything's going to be great now! Don't worry, Goku, Dende healed Goten up as quick as he could. He's not hurting now." Rose put a hand up to her mouth and loudly whispered, "You ex has been arrested. I wish you could've seen the look on her face!"

Goku chuckled and moved to get the door for her to go into her office building, "Do you think it would be okay if I came in and took a look around? I've been wondering where you've been disappearing too all this time! I promise I won't get in the way!"

"Yeah, sure! Come on," Rose said leading the way. She practically skipped down the tile hallway, Goku laughing at her. "This is me," she said, opening the door to a small office. There wasn't much there and it surprisingly reminded Goku of Rose's apartment. She flopped down into the computer chair behind her desk and it rolled a bit; she had to grab onto her desk to stop from hitting the shelves behind her. "Okay," she said, calming her excitement. She was smiling widely as she looked at her desk. "That's weird," she said, looking around. She pulled open some drawers, shuffling through them. "I could've sworn I left the file right here." She spun around in her chair, pulling open a drawer to the filing cabinet. "No... What in the world?" Her fingers walked across the long drawer full of case files. "I don't understand..."

Goku tilted his head, "Something wrong?" He looked around, he didn't like that look that was taking over her face or the tone in her voice, "What are you looking for? Can I help?"

"Barb!" Rose called out the open office door. "Have you seen the Son case file?"

The heavyset woman appeared in the doorway, never looking at Goku. She gave a grim nod. "Amy has it."

Rose looked confused. "Why does she have it?"

"Rose, you've got a lot of explaining to do," Barb said cryptically.

Rose's heart sank and her stomach turned to ice. There were a LOT of notes in that file. Personal notes. Things she didn't mean for anyone to see. She got to her feet, "Barb..."

Another woman entered Rose's office. She had long black hair and looked to be in her late thirties.

"Amy, give me back that file!" Rose demanded boldly. "I've worked really hard on that and I have new evidence that I need to include so I can write up my recommendation!"

"This file?" Amy asked, holding it up with one hand. "Sorry, Rose, but I've taken over this case."

Rose gaped at her for a moment. "W-Why?"

"Oh, let's see," Amy said casually, leaning against the doorframe and opening the file. "Aliens? Evidence of abuse from both parents? Family members aware of and participating in physical fights with the child? And you were considering recommending that the boy stay with his brother..." Amy looked up, shaking her head slowly, tsking at Rose. "Not to mention your little INFATUATION with the boy's father."

Rose felt her face burn.

Goku blinked and decided he did not like the tone of their voices. He wanted to say something but what could he do? Aliens, physical fights, infatuation? He looked at Rose. What all had she put into the report about him? She didn't seem like she would string him along like that and he certainly didn't feel like she had betrayed him. Not after everything they had been through, "I'm sure its just a misunderstanding, that's all. She's been purely professional in dealing with this case! You can't take her off of it when she is so close to closing it"

Amy fixed him with a bored stare. "I assume you're Mr. Son?" She looked down at the file, "Oh, no, that's right. You asked her to call you _GOKU_." She looked back up at him. "She likes your name, you know." Amy snorted, and held up the open notebook, "See? She drew little hearts around it. And your smile is dreamy, apparently."

Goku blinked at Rose. Did she have feelings for him? How on earth had that happened? Oh goodness. He rubbed at his face for a moment. He'd always been accused of being a bit too personal and he must've given her the wrong impression. He didn't understand it. He'd assumed she had feelings for Dende with the way she always blushed and giggled around the Namek. He would never, ever betray his mates. Surely Rose knew that. He shook his head. He didn't have time to figure it out now. He could talk to her about it some other time; all he was interested in was friendship.

"Amy, shut it!" Rose barked, angry tears burning her eyes. She was so embarrassed. "That's MY case and any personal notes are just that! You've never gone through my stuff before! What's gotten into you?"

"I spoke with Goten's foster parents," Amy answered as she flipped through more pages, "Swimming with them on your day off? Christmas parties? DREAMING about them? Really, Rose? You could lose your job for that." She looked up and tossed her hair over her shoulder, snapping the file shut. "Anyway, it seems the new parents have become quite fond of little Goten. And after this rat's nest of a report, I think it's safe to say the best thing for the boy would be for him to be adopted by his foster parents. I'm going to recommend that both biological parents rights are terminated."

Goku felt his heart snap in half. "What?! No! Check the police footage! My ex-wife has been abusing my son, NOT ME! Not his brother! You can't do this! Don't do this!" He dropped to his knees; his legs felt like jelly. They were so close, but the foster parents wanted to adopt his son? "He's my son! MY son! You cant do this. Please dont do this, I can't bear to watch him be taken away from me again, not after everything I've done to protect him. Please?!"

Amy rolled her eyes at Goku. "Good god, man, get a hold of yourself and stand up. Begging isn't going to change my mind," she sneered.

Rose was seeing red. "AMY, YOU GIVE ME BACK THAT FILE RIGHT NOW!"

Amy held her arm back, keeping the file out of Rose's reach as Rose approached her. "Watch yourself," she said dangerously, "Your job's on the line as it is!"

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT MY JOB!" Rose shouted, "I JUST WANT TO HELP GOTEN!"

"What is all this ruckus?" came a tired voice. It was Mary, the blonde lady with the tired eyes. She rolled her eyes as she saw them, "Amy, give me that file."

"Mary, please," Rose begged the blonde, "Please, let me finish this case! No one understands them like I do! I swear, I'll be unbiased! I'll do it by the book! Please, let me finish it!"

Mary shook her head sadly as she took the file and shooed Barb and Amy from the office. She closed the door and turned to Rose again. "The things in this file are highly unprofessional, Rose. I expected better from you."

Rose looked quietly at the floor, casting an apologetic glance at Goku.

"Go home, Rose," Mary said.

"You... You're FIRING ME?!" Rose gasped.

"Leave of absence," Mary corrected her, "Until we've had time to review your other case files."

"But my kids, the cases I'm working on," Rose breathed.

"They'll be reassigned," Mary said. "Now go on."

Goku looked at the new woman; he vaguely remembered seeing her the day they'd first contacted CPS. "Ma'am please, she's told the truth in her report. If you need proof, please just talk with Dr. Briefs at Capsule Corp or Bulma. You remember watching the Cell Games? Did you see the green man? He is an alien and so am I. Anything you need for proof, just name it. She's not lying. Please let her finish the case. I just want to save my son. I want to get him back to our family."

Mary looked to him and drew herself up to her full height, her expression stern. She suddenly looked much more intimidating. "Sir, I have been with this agency for over twenty years. In all that time, I have never seen such a jumbled up bunch of nonsense in my life!" She slapped the back of her hand against the file. "I don't know what's happened to you, Rose. Is the pressure too much? Because this sounds like you've completely lost your mind!"

"I know," she said softly. "It sounded crazy to me, too. That's why I wanted to clean it up before I presented it."

Mary shook her head and looked at the file again. "Nonsense. Utterly ridiculous."

"NO, IT'S NOT NONSENSE!" Rose shouted, making Mary jump. "I know it sounds crazy, but it's real! It's all real! The magick, their powers, the aliens." Rose had a wild idea, but it was the only thing she could think of that could convince Mary. "Goku, go get Dende and Piccolo!" Rose ordered. "Bring them here right now!"

Goku wiped his eyes and nodded, pressing his fingers to his forehead and vanished for a second. He reappeared a few moments later with just Dende. He looked pleadingly over at the older woman before he looked back at Rose, "Sorry, Piccolo wasn't there."

Dende blinked a moment, he hadn't been expecting that, but he should have known better. He had been watching the situation, watching Rose. He couldn't let her go it alone. He had sensed her, the anticipation as she set the trap for Chichi, the elation she had felt at finally getting her proof and then horror and terror. It hurt him so to feel her like that. He looked to the people around them, sensing the situation. He looked to the elder woman, at her expression. He looked her in the eyes and smiled at her, "She is not crazy Mary. My name is Dende. I am from the Planet Namek. Please, allow me to answer any questions that you have."

Mary stared at Dende for a full two minutes before she spoke. "That's it. I retire," she said, slamming the file down on Rose's desk. She leaned heavily on the desk with one hand, the other pinching the bridge of her nose. "This is absolute insanity." She lowered her hand and looked over at the two men who had just reappeared in the office. "Never, in twenty years."

"Mary, PLEASE," Rose begged. "Don't give this case to Amy." She lowered her voice, daring to step closer to her supervisor, "You KNOW what she does. She loves ripping the kids away from good parents and you know it. She's done it before. She's the one who makes the rest of us look like monsters."

Mary tapped her toe as she looked up at the ceiling and exhaled slowly. "I don't know, Rose."

Dende walked over to her carefully, "Rose had a hard time believing too. Not exactly what you were expecting when you came in." He studied her for a moment, "No, you are not crazy either and no, there was nothing in the water cooler. You've done good work here, Mary. You've saved the lives of so many children. Given so many hope. You've had to rely on your gut instinct many times." He placed a hand on Rose's shoulder, shoving the buzzing feeling to the back of his mind. He remembered the grandmother's story about the first humans and he briefly wondered if it was true. He'd been thinking about that a lot over the past few weeks. "She has been nothing but the perfect example of what your employees should be. It is never easy when your views are challenged. Had anyone else been assigned to this case. Goten would be the one to suffer, but Rose stayed with it, working through what she saw, what she was told."

Mary studied him again. She knew his name from Rose's notes. She took a deep breath and let it out sharply. "All right, Rose. You take this file. You go home. You write your report and you include EVERYTHING in it. And I mean it. Every last detail. Except, of course, for your PERSONAL notes. And you bring this back to me by eight tomorrow morning. Make sure that you make your recommendation based on LOGIC and not your emotions. If I approve, I'll send it on to the judge. It will be up to him to sort through this fairy tale of a report you've created and decide what's best for the boy."

Goku let out a sob of relief at her words. Oh, thank the gods. He looked over to Dende who offered the woman a slight smile, "Thank you Ma'am, thank you for having an open mind."Dende looked over at Goku, then back at Mary. He took his hand and held it up, a warm golden glow formed around it, casting a soft light around the room, "I would like to give you something in return. If you will allow it."

Mary looked uncertainly at the strange alien. She threw her hands in the air. "Why the hell not? Can't get any weirder than this."

Dende reached out taking her hands in his closing his eyes for a moment letting the warm glow seep into her own, the glow spread to encompass her whole body, he spoke, soothing calm words, "I know this line of work is not easy. You give so much for so very little in return. You wonder if you will ever not be needed, but know that you will be needed day in and day out. It is hard to find peace among so much pain and suffering. Please accept this offering. May it ease your soul, if only for a day. Know that every soul you touch, that you save, eases your own."

Rose smiled at Dende. He was so kind, so compassionate. Everything about him was simply amazing. Even after Mary had slightly insulted him in her frustration, he offered to ease her stress. He was truly amazing.

The glow faded away and Mary looked like she could cry with relief. She composed herself after a minute and said, "Well, I don't know what that was, but thank you, young man." She turned to Rose, looking thoroughly confused, yet relaxed at the same time. "Eight a.m." And with that, she left the office.

Rose let out a shuddering breath before she flung her arms around Dende's neck. "You just saved us," she breathed against his neck. "You might have just saved Goten."

Dende's eyes widened for a second before he let his arms come up around Rose and held her close, barely lowering his head. He could smell her light perfume. Fragrant, flowery with a hint of spice. Her weight in his arms felt right and he thought he could just stand there in that spot forever. Content to just hold her, "How could I do anything else?" He reluctantly pulled away and looked over at Goku and frowned as he felt his heart broke again. How much more suffering did his friend have to go through?, "Goku, are you alright?"

The man nodded, he smiled warmly at the two. There was something amazing happening in front of his eyes, "Thank you, Dende. Thank you so much. I owe you so much, you've done so much for Goten and I. I can'. I don't know what I would have done if they took him away." That wasn't true and Dende knew it. It would be a dark day if that happened and there would have been no force on earth that would stop Goku and his friends to get Goten back.

"Come on Goku, the sooner we get the report to her, the better for all of us. She is a good soul. She will not allow Rose's co workers to take over the case."

"Okay," Rose said and scooped up the file to hug it protectively against her chest as if it were going to run away. "I need to go home. Goku, I know it's a lot to ask. But can you stay and help me? I just want to make sure that we can make our case as strong as possible. I might have a few more questions for you. If that's okay? I know you're worn out with this. I'm so sorry for the confusion," she said softly. "I swear, we will get this worked out soon. Just hold on a couple more days. Please?"

Goku nodded, "Of course, we can go to Gohan's. He will help us too. Let me take Dende back to the Lookout."

Dende looked at both of them, "Actually,if it is alright, I would like to come with you as well. Just in case?" Goku nodded, "Yeah. Sure! That would be great if thats okay with you Rose?"

Rose smiled widely at Dende. "Of course I want you with us." She reached for his hand and entwined her fingers with his, then stepped close enough for Goku to wrap his arm around her waist. There was a contented, butterfly feeling in her stomach and she tried not to blush again. Dende's hand felt warm in her own and Goku's arm was strong and firm around her waist. The office disappeared in a flash and she found herself in the living room of Goku's oldest son, Gohan.

"Hey Dad," Gohan said calmly without looking up from his textbook. This was his last semester at college before he would finally graduate and it seemed the homework was piled higher than ever before. In fact, he'd hardly had time for anything else lately. But it was finally going to pay off. He already had a job lined out as the newest cardiologist at the most prestigious hospital in West City as soon as he passed his board exams. "You here for lunch?"

Goku shook his head, going over to his son, "She did it. Rose got the proof she needed against your mother. We have to help her with the case file. She has to turn it in before eight am tomorrow morning. Can you help us son? Please? Goten, Chichi hurt him again, but it was for the last time. Let's not make him suffer for it again." He looked over at Rose, his son's guardian angel, "She almost lost the case to her co workers, but Dende saved us."

Dende blushed, his hand clutching at Rose's. It was warm and comforting. He didn't want to let go. He wanted to will her to see what was going on between them. He wanted her to see him the same way he saw her. He wanted her, but they had to help Goten during this small window of opportunity that they had. It had to work or everything would have been for naught, "It was nothing, really. She had a good heart, but let's get to work. I think Goten is ready to come home."

Gohan had lowered his book to his lap and stared wide-eyed at his dad. "Are you serious? He's not going back to Mom?" he breathed. He felt the relief as it crashed through him. It seemed that every moment not spent worrying about his schoolwork, he'd spent worrying over his little brother.

Goku nodded.

"Oh thank god," Gohan said and jumped up to hug his dad. "I'll do anything you need," he said to Rose eagerly. "Anything at all. You just name it."

"Is there somewhere we can sit?" Rose asked.

Gohan nodded and led the way to the dining room.

Rose still had a hold of Dende's hand and she didn't even realize it until she went to grab the back of the chair. "Oh, sorry, Dende!" she blushed. "I didn't mean to hold your hand for so long. I'm out of it."

Gohan looked curiously at his friend; Dende looked simultaneously enthralled and disappointed. He tipped his head slightly to the side. Dende had been holding Rose's hand. His eyes went wide and he opened his mouth to say something to him, but thought better of it and clamped his mouth shut. Perhaps it was too early in their relationship for Gohan to say anything, if there was even a relationship at all yet. No, it was better to let his dad make those sort of blunt announcements. He sat down at the table across from Rose as she started rummaging through her papers, every now and then stashing one in the chair next to her with a blush on her cheeks.

Goku moved and sat next to Rose so he could lean over and look at all the pages, his hand brushed hers as he reached out to help spread the pages about, "Gosh there's a lot here! Where do we even start?"

Dende didn't know what to think. He wanted so much and maybe that made him selfish and reading too much into things, but he could no longer deny that he felt something towards Rose. He rubbed the back of his head, he was not used to this. Every time he was near her it pained him to part from her. It really pained him to see her so taken with Goku. He wanted to tell her so badly that Goku couldn't be with her that way, but then she might reject him and that. He tried his best to suppress the shudder that coursed through his veins. He would surely die if that happened.

"Dende, sit," Rose said, waving him over towards Gohan on the other side of the table. She shoved aside the stack of photos. Goku didn't need to look at those marks again.

"All right, boys," Rose said, looking up and setting her hand on the papers. Her attitude was all business now. "If the foster parents are interested in adopting Goten, which does not surprise me in the slightest, then this is whole new ballgame we're playing. I know my supervisor. She may have been very fair just now, but she will also be that way in court. And that will mean putting it out there that there's already an approved home willing to adopt Goten. So we have to present the absolute BEST case we can to prove to the judge why it is in Goten's best interest to be part of your family."

"What about my mom?" Gohan asked, leaning against the table, his hands under it. He looked worried.

"Your mom isn't even an issue anymore," Rose answered dismissively. "The best she can hope for is an occasional supervised visit. And I will be surprised if the judge even awards her that much. She really screwed herself on this one."

Goku felt elated and sad at the same time. Even after everything Chichi had put him through, put his sons, their sons through, he knew he would do what he could from danger. You never want to think that way about a mother. What had happened to him, he didn't know. He couldn't love her. He couldn't not after what he'd seen. It was Goten and Gohan he was worried about. What they thought. What would they think. Goten would understand everything when he was older and Goku was eager to have him spend more time with Sabriena. She was a proper mother for him, "Gohan, I'm sorry it had to come to this. Your mother, I don't know what happened to make her so bitter, so hateful."

Dende moved and sat next to Gohan looking over the pages and his eyes caught the photos. His eyes widened slightly. Good gods, Chichi had done all that? It hurt to just look at those marks. She hit his face? "Oh Goten."

"She's been this way a long time, Dad," Gohan said, shaking his head. "I don't know what's wrong with her. It's almost like she had me and Goten because she thought it was something she was supposed to do, not because she wanted us."

Rose wasn't listening. She was looking at Dende and the look of horror on his face, however subtle it may have been. It was like she could feel it from him. She shook her head and reached for the photos, stacking them a little neater, and turned them face-down. "He doesn't look like that anymore," she said softly to Dende. "You know that. You healed him. Try not to think of him like that."

She returned her gaze to the table, her mind working a million miles an hour. She hated to say this. She worried about what Goku's reaction was going to be. She heaved a sigh. "This is the new foster family I placed Goten with. I inspected their home myself and ran extensive background checks on them. I contacted references. The whole nine yards to make sure they were the best home for Goten to stay with while this whole thing was going on. They are really nice people with a fancy house in a good school district, with a good income and no children of their own." She looked to Goku, "You, unfortunately, have NONE of that. Goku, I hate to say this, but the judge is not going to give you custody of your son. I'm sorry. And now there's no hiding anything, no fudging some details to help you out because Mary's already seen everything I wrote. If I try to sneak something past her, she will destroy me in court and fire me on the spot." She chewed her bottom lip for a minute. "Our only hope is to recommend that Goten lives here with you, Gohan, and that you become his legal guardian. Are you okay with that?" she asked.

Gohan nodded, "Of course! My wife's fine with it too. We've already talked about it quite a bit. We have an extra room for him and in a few weeks after I graduate, I'll start my new job. Lindsey's going to stay home with the kids, w-well, I mean Phoenix, so she'll be able to watch Goten, too."

Rose looked to Goku, "Are you okay with that? You know what all that involves, right?"

Goku had thought about it, he knew that it had been a possibility. He swallowed hard, only one concern in his mind, "Rose, will I still be able to see my son?" He looked at her, a serious expression on his face, "As long as he is with Gohan, that is fine, but I don't think I could stand it if I couldn't see him. I would see him any way, but I don't want him or Gohan, Lindsey or Phoenix to get in trouble if I do, It's not their fault.."

Dende looked up at Rose. Her words eased his mind and he tilted his head, closing his eyes and looked on Goten. He was. He was alright. Confused, but he had his father's happiness in him. He looked to Rose. His heart was aching for her, so much.

Rose smiled widely at Goku and grabbed his arm. "Of course you can still see him! Look, giving Gohan guardianship means that all legal and medical decisions are up to him instead of you. Such as what school Goten would attend, where he receives medical attention if needed, extra curricular activities, that sort of thing. All those decisions would be up to Gohan and his wife. You're still going to see him. In fact, that's part of what we're going to write out in this recommendation. That you are a good influence in his life, but that your home just is not equipped to have a small child. You didn't do anything wrong. You as his father are still a VERY important part of his life. And that your husband and wife are a good influence on him. I'm going to require that you spend a lot of time with him. You understand? And he can come to visit you as often as you like."

Goku's smile spread across his face, beaming at her and he nodded, "That sounds perfect." He leaned over and wrapped his arms around her tightly and kissed her cheek, "Thank you so much. Thank you!" He released her and looked over at Gohan, "Thank you son. You don't know how much this means to me." He wiped at his eyes, more tears of happiness. He didn't mind crying those tears, but he was tired of all of this stress. He was tired of feeling so helpless. He was TIRED of crying, "Okay, where do we start?"

Rose's face flushed and she turned towards the table, trying to hide the silly smile on her face. She briefly touched her cheek where he'd kissed her. Twice today he'd done that. She felt giddy and bubbly inside. "Okay, so here's what we have to do."


	40. What's Best for Goten

Rose withdrew the disc from her file and crossed the courtroom to the television screen that had been set up. She was nervous. Goku had already expressed his anger several times about the fact that his wife had hurt their son. But now, for the first time ever, he was about to see it for himself. She hoped he just wouldn't watch.

She started the video and walked back across the courtroom to take her seat. She had a clear view of everyone in the courtroom. Goku looked a bit ill. Chichi looked confused and worried. The video flickered to life on the large screen, showing the living room of Chichi's house.

_Little Goten walked in, carrying a cup of grape juice. He went to set it on the edge of an end table, but the glass slipped and spilled the dark liquid all over the white carpet. Goten looked terrified, glancing around as though to find a way to cover up his mess. _

_Chichi walked in and scowled as she saw the pool of juice staining her carpet. "GOTEN!" she screeched, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE NOW?! I WILL NEVER GET THAT STAIN OUT OF THE CARPET!" _

_Goten cowered, "I'm sorry, momma! I'll clean it up!" She shook her head and disappeared out of shot. The sound of her banging around in another room could be heard and within a few moments, she returned, a long, rounded stick of wood in her hand. "All you ever do is make messes and break things!" she screamed, "I am so sick of cleaning up after you! Can't you do anything right?!" _

_"Momma, I'm sorry!" Goten bawled, cringing away from her. _

_Chichi suddenly took on a very calm demeanor. "Lower your energy, Goten." _

_Goten turned towards the tiny camera that he didn't know was there. Huge tears were streaming down his face as he trembled and lifted the back of his shirt. He closed his eyes and screwed up his little face. _

_Chichi reared back and swung the switch with all her strength. It cracked across his back with a sound like a bullwhip. Goten cried out but Chichi sneered, "Oh shut up. Don't be such a baby. This is YOUR FAULT! If you weren't such a horrid little monster all the time." She pulled back, preparing to strike again, but the front door burst open and Rose ran in, police officers hot on her heels. _

_Chichi spun on the spot, the switch falling from her hand as the officers grabbed her, forcing her to the floor. _

_Rose had grabbed up Goten, hugging him carefully, pressing his face against her shoulder so he wouldn't see his mother in handcuffs. With a grim expression on her face, Rose grabbed the little camera and the screen went dark._

Goku was horrified. He knew what Chichi had been doing and he had been horrified then. But to see her actually doing it... Goku trembled with all of his willpower to stay seated. He was furious. To see it happen, his son ORDERED to lower his power level. It made him sick. He was breathing hard, trying to calm himself. He wanted to cry. To scream. He really, really wanted to hurt Chichi. He looked away as the video showed a close up of the fresh wound. Angry and red, blood starting to seep from it. He closed his eyes tight and reached his hand up to his neck, covering his mating mark, drawing from it Tien's calm. He needed calm or he would lose it. He could feel Vegeta's energy growing, slow boiling anger. He couldn't even bring himself to look at Chichi. He couldn't bear to see what would be on her face. A smirk at her handy work, saying he deserved it? Crying to say that they faked the whole thing and took it out of context? He was so tired of all the lies. He was tired of her. He didn't know if he could control his temper, even with his efforts to stay calm. His will was slipping…

The whole courtroom went silent as Rose turned off the screen and the lights came back up. Sabriena looked like she wanted to strangle Chichi right then and there. Tien had his arm around her shoulders, holding her in place and keeping his own emotions in check. Lindsey pulled Phoenix against her chest and snuggled into Gohan's embrace. Vegeta looked murderous. He clenched his fists over and over, a muscle working in his jaw. He bounced his knee rapidly and Bulma laid her hand gently on his forearm, trying to silently comfort him. This was an outrage. If this had been his home planet, he'd have drug that bitch out into the street by her hair.

But it was Goku who broke the silence.

Goku was on his feet in a second, the sound of the whip still ringing in his ears, his son's face covered in tears. "How could you?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper as he looked at Chichi and the fake tears in his eyes welling up. He felt stupid. So fucking STUPID. It had been her the entire time, she had been doing this; he knew that, but seeing it with his own eyes was an entirely different matter. It awakened a rage inside him that he never even knew existed. "How long? HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN BEATING MY SON?!" He barely heard the judge banging his gavel, yelling for order in the court. He started towards Chichi; he wanted ANSWERS, "WHY!?"

Rose ran in front of him, holding her hands up, not protecting Chichi, but she didn't want Goku's outburst to hurt their case. "Goku, stop," she pleaded.

Chichi looked outraged. "THEY STAGED THAT!" she screamed.

Vegeta was on his feet as well, his temper boiling over. Bulma grabbed his arm, trying to tug him back into his seat, but he snatched his arm away from her. "Get your hands off me, woman," he growled. He wanted blood for what he'd witnessed on that screen.

"I will clear this courtroom!" the judge threatened as Goku stepped closer to Chichi, looking murderous.

"Goku, PLEASE," Rose begged softly.

"That WASN'T fucking STAGED. You'll never put another hand on him again!" Goku swallowed hard, his jaw trembling, every muscle in his body tensed. He breathed heavily through his nose, gritting his teeth. That wasn't staged. Tthe hell it was. He felt Rose's hands on him pushing him back. _'Goten. Calm down for Goten,' _he told himself. He nodded and turned away from Chichi, shaking his head at Vegeta. Not here. Oh they would have words with her, but not here. He sat down, staring straight ahead, his mind replaying the video over and over and over. His son. How could have not seen it? How many years had his son suffered, looking for help from his father and finding none? He buried his face in his hands, shudders wracking his frame. _ 'I'm a terrible father.'_

Vegeta was shaking. How dare that woman. How DARE she inflict harm on a child. Especially a child with Saiyan blood, one of the last of their kind. He realized Goku had sat back down, hiding his face, trying to calm himself. Vegeta met Chichi's eyes with a dangerous stare. He pressed his lips together and forced himself to sit next to Bulma. He would kill that wretched woman.

Tien sat stiffly in his seat, his every muscle tensed. That was one of the most gut-wrenching things he'd ever witnessed, and that was saying a lot, considering all the things they'd been through in the past year. He wrapped his arm around Sabriena's shoulders as she cried silently into his shirt.

She wanted to go to Goku, to comfort him, calm his temper. She wanted to hack Chichi into pieces and boil her in acid. And all she could do was sit there, completely useless. But above all, her heart was aching for poor Goten. None of them had seen it as soon as they should have. This wasn't just Goku's mistake. It was on all of them.

Goku swallowed his anger, looking back up, over at Rose. Nothing she said could have prepared him for this. His hands flexed. He wanted to hurt that woman over there for what had she done to them all. Twenty years with her and he hadn't even known any better, thinking everything was fine. Then she divorced him. And now this. How had he ever loved her? He'd never been violent towards friends and family, not really, not like this. That video had taken him to a dark place and all he wanted to do was to break her and then go home to his son and make sure no one ever abused him again. Sabriena had been a blessing, his wonderful mate, seeing first what no one else had.

Rose stood in the middle of the courtroom, watching Goku warily, trying to calm her breathing. This wasn't the first time she'd had an outburst from a parent in the courtroom and it wasn't a first for the judge, either.

Chichi was sobbing at the table, whimpering that it was all a misunderstanding, that wasn't her, they set it up.

"Control yourself or I'll hold you in contempt of court," the judge warned and Chichi suddenly went silent. The judge cast a warning glare at Goku for a moment, meeting the dark, angry eyes. The judge didn't shy away, but stared right back for a moment before he turned his attention to the young caseworker again. "Miss Delacour, I've read your report. And I must say, this is the most... _unusual_... case I have ever seen."

"I'm aware of that, your honor," Rose answered. "It was unusual to me, as well. But after a thorough investigation, I feel strongly about my recommendation. Mr. Son and his family are very different than most. But being different doesn't mean wrong or dangerous. Goten is a very special child and it is my belief that he should be raised by people who understand him and can help him."

The judge looked through the papers before him. "I understand that the foster family he is with is willing to adopt him?"

Rose drew a deep breath, "Yes, they are. But it is our goal to reunite families. Goten cannot go back to live with Mrs. Son, but neither can he live with Mr. Son due to guidelines set by the government. That's why it's my recommendation that custody of Goten be given to Son Gohan, Goten's older brother. Gohan's home is sanitary and safe, I have thoroughly interviewed both him and his wife, and I believe it is the safest place for Goten." She paused to give Goku an apologetic stare. Giving custody to Gohan was the only option they had if Goku wanted to see his son. "Your honor, all the facts of this case have been presented to you in the most cohesive, rational explanation that I could write. I know that the circumstances of this case are extraordinary. The people involved in this case, including the child, are not of this world, yet they obey our laws and have tried to integrate themselves into our society in the most peaceable manner possible. Young Goten is an exceptional boy with exceptional talents and strength. If he is not given the guidance he needs, his health and wellbeing will suffer. He needs to be with someone of his own kind and who better suited than his own brother? A man who has proven to be an intelligent, productive member of our society with a home that is more than suitable for raising Goten. It is my recommendation that Goten be placed in the custody of Son Gohan. I recommend that his father's visitation be at Gohan's discretion, with no call for supervision. I also recommend that his mother's rights be terminated by the court."

Goku felt his heart drop at that. He had been looking forward to having Goten with him at the cabin, building in the barn and they had been talking about plans to add on to the little cabin as well. However, distance was nothing to him and if Gohan was the best choice for Goten, then so be it. They had already discussed it and he knew that this would be the outcome, but it was still a little disappointing. But as long as Chichi never got to see their son again, he would be happy with that. He couldn't even look over at her for fear that he would erupt again. He got a good feeling from the judge, almost like he knew exactly what Goku was feeling, thinking, that he understood the hurt that he was going through. He wiped again at his eyes. Goten, his little boy, who always had a smile on his face, always so adorable. He owed his son a big apology. He didn't know what he was going to do. The marks on Goten's back, the last time he had seen them, they had faded, but there were scars. There would always be those ugly reminders of his inadequacy as a father to recognize what was happening under his nose this entire time.

The judge was quiet for a minute, considering Rose's words. She stood still as a statue before him, silently praying that the judge wouldn't decide to let the foster family adopt Goten. That would kill Goku, absolutely kill him.

"I would have to say that I agree with you, Miss Delacour, in most of your recommendation" the judge finally said.

Rose felt the weight lift off her shoulders.

"Full custody of the child will go to Son Gohan. Father's visitations will be at Gohan's discretion. Mother ordered to take six months of court-approved, documented parenting classes and anger management courses three hours twice a week. Limited supervised visitation once a month after that. I trust you will be overseeing the visits?" he asked Rose and she nodded. "Very well. Court is adjourned." And with that, he turned in his seat and shook his head, looking very tired.

Rose cast a nervous eye at Chichi, who looked absolutely livid, and hurried over to Goku, waiting to see what he had to say.

Goku felt his blood boil at the judge's words and he looked to Rose for an explanation as he stood up, "He's got to be joking. There's no way in hell I am letting her near him ever again." He was happy, beyond happy that Gohan would be taking care of his little brother, he knew that he and Lindsey would raise him properly and of course, he'd be able to visit whenever he could. But the fact that Chichi would still be allowed to see Goten absolutely made his blood boil. Gods, all he wanted to do now was to go out in the main part of the courthouse and hold his son until time stopped. "Explain this, Rose," he demanded through clenched teeth. "Explain this now."

"She won't be able to see him until after she's done the six months of classes," Rose said quietly. "And then after that, it will just be for a couple hours once a month. SUPERVISED. I'll be there with Goten the whole time. I'll make sure they assign me to it, okay? He's safe now. He can go home with Gohan today." She was desperate to calm his temper. He'd sort of scared her when he'd jumped up like that, looking ready to kill his ex-wife. She leaned closer, whispering in his ear, "Besides. She still has the child abuse charge pending against her. We don't know what's going to happen with that yet, either. We might get lucky and she could have all of her rights taken away."

Goku breathed deeply and exhaled, nodding. He finally felt a huge weight lifted from his chest. His son was finally safe. Never again would he have to worry about his wellbeing. He closed his eyes feeling more tears of sheer happiness well up. He gave Rose his first smile of the day, drawing her into his arms and leaning down to her ear, "Thank you for everything you've done for him. And me. It wouldn't have been possible without you. I owe you everything. Thank you, Rose." He pulled back and kissed her forehead, then leaned back and smiled down at her for a moment. He glanced over his shoulder at his mates, before he looked back at her, "I'd like to go see my son now." He looked back at everyone in the courtroom, Vegeta still looked like he was about to kill something, the vein in his forehead prominent, Bulma had tears in her eyes, as did Lindsey and Sabriena.

He looked back at Rose, "Come on. We're having a party and you are coming with us."

Rose blinked at him. "I... I am?" she asked as he pulled her along with him.

Sabriena rushed forward and threw herself against Goku's chest, tears streaming down her face. "I'm so happy Goten's going to be okay," she whispered. "Gohan promised he'd bring him out all the time. We won, baby."

Tien didn't feel like he could manage a smile, but he threw an arm around Goku's shoulders and gave him a quick squeeze. "You okay?" he asked quietly.

Goku swallowed hard, letting go of Rose and wrapping his arms around Sabriena and Tien to press kisses to their faces. "No. No, I'm not okay, but I'll make it. I just want to see Goten." He looked over at Gohan and Lindsey with Phoenix and went to them. He hugged them close, "Thank you for taking care of your brother," he murmured. He kissed them both and little Phoenix on the cheek, sighing happily. "Let's go get Goten." He forced his feet to move; he could see Chichi's grating her teeth as if she was about to shout at them and he just wanted out of there. Pushing out of the courtroom doors, he immediately looked for Goten, a smile, a real smile breaking out over his face, "Goten! We won!"

"DADDY!" Goten cried and ran forward, jumping into his dad's arms. "Does this mean I get to come live with you?"

Sabriena cringed. She placed a hand on Goku's back, trying to comfort him. They'd talked about bringing Goten out to live with them, Tien had agreed to adding onto the cabin, but in the end, Rose had felt that the judge was more likely to agree to let Goten go to Gohan. But still, Sabriena knew Goku had his hopes up that maybe, just maybe, Goten could come live with them. She had to admit, she'd hoped for it too.

Goku didn't let his disappointment show and he smiled at his son, cradling him in his arms, "Actually, you're going to go live with your brother, you can have your own room and I can come visit you at any time. And I'm sure Sabriena and Tien will let you come over and spend the night any time you like. What do you say to that?" He pressed a kiss to Goten's cheek, nuzzling his nose into his hair, he smiled and said quietly, "She won't hurt you ever again. I'm so sorry I didn't see it before."

"Staying with Gohan sounds like fun!" Goten grinned. He hugged his dad's neck. "Don't be sorry, Daddy. I love you." He pressed his face against his dad's neck, swallowing hard. All he'd wanted for these long months was to be with his dad. Bad things didn't happen when his dad was around. His mom didn't hurt him when he was with his dad. But the time away from his mother made him feel a little braver and he whispered in his dad's ear, "I don't want to go home with Momma anymore."

Goku felt his heart go out to his son and he wrapped both arms around him, closing his eyes as he held his son tightly, ignoring the tears that gathered at the corners of his eyes. "You'll never have to go home with her ever again, Goten. Never again." He looked around at his friends and family that had come with him that day for support and other options for Goten to live with had Gohan's home been denied. He saw Chichi coming out of the court room and he turned towards the exit, "Let's go guys." He smiled at Goten, "There's a party for you back at Capsule Corp, sound like fun?"

"Yeah!" he cried happily and leaned his head on his dad's shoulder as they stepped out into the afternoon sunlight. Despite their somewhat-victory, everyone was rather quiet as they left the courthouse. Even though they knew Goten was safe now, it had been at what cost? What horror had that little boy endured over the years?

Rose felt a little uncomfortable walking with them. She felt as though they were disappointed in her and she stared quietly at the ground as they walked out onto the sidewalk.

"YOU RIGGED THAT VIDEO! YOU STAGED THE WHOLE THING!" Chichi accused, pointing a finger at Rose as she stormed down the courthouse steps. The street was strangely empty, save for Goku and his friends.

Rose spun around, blinking in shock as the shorter woman marched towards her. "Me?" she asked in disbelief.

"YES, YOU! You set me up!" Chichi marched right up to Rose, glowering up at her, her hands on her hips. She pointed a finger in the younger woman's face as everyone else stood frozen to the spot, staring. "You're in on it with that good-for-nothing ex of mine! You helped him take my baby from me!"

Goku turned around tightening his hold on Goten, glaring at her, "Chichi, you are NOT fooling anyone. That wasn't staged. How? How COULD YOU DO THAT to our son?!" He suddenly saw that Chichi wasn't really in the mood for talking, the way she walked, the stance. He knew that one too well. "Chichi, STOP IT. You have only yourself to blame!" He turned and handed Goten to Gohan, "Go on to Capsule Corp, I'll be right behind you." He ruffled Goten's hair a moment before he turned back around, hurrying over to Rose.

Gohan put one arm around Lindsey, holding Goten with the other. "Hurry," he said, walking quickly away. It looked like things were finally about to get ugly between his parents and he didn't want Goten to see it. They quickly rounded the corner and disappeared down the block, heading for Capsule Corp.

Rose backed up, her hands held up in front of her. "Mrs. Son, I was just trying to do my job," she said as calmly as she could.

"Your job of stealing children away from loving parents?!" Chichi shrieked. "I am so sick of people like you, coming in and tearing my family apart, taking my son from me! I have done nothing but be a loving mother! Do you have any idea how hard it is being a single mother?! Just because I tried to give my son a little bit of discipline..."

"DISCIPLINE?!" Rose suddenly shouted, her voice surprisingly strong. She looked madder than any of them had ever seen her. "YOU CALL THAT DISCIPLINE?! You did nothing but torture that boy! For how many years, Mrs. Son? How many years did he suffer under your hand?!" Rose gave Chichi a scathing look. "You dare call yourself a mother."

"I AM A WONDERFUL MOTHER!" Chichi screamed. "I think it's about time someone taught you a lesson about breaking up families!" Without warning, she jumped in the air and spun, swinging her fist with as much force as she could muster. It was easy to forget that Chichi had once been a fighter herself, with the way she had constantly nagged Goku about it over the years. With surprising speed and agility, Chichi slammed her fist into Rose's face with a sickening crunch.

Rose felt her head snap backwards, a searing pain in her right eye. Her glasses snapped and she was knocked backwards onto the cement. She fell back hard against the pavement with a cry.

" BITCH," Chichi spat. She pulled her fist back again, preparing to strike once more.

Goku was standing between her and Rose the next second, seething with anger. "BACK OFF." glared at Chichi, his eyes cold and calculating. It was almost scary that he could be that way. "No, Chichi." His voice was cold and bitter, "You are not a wonderful mother. You are horrible. It pains me to say it, but you are a terrible, horrible mother. No child should be beaten like that by their parents. Least of all their mothers. How dare you do that to Goten? How dare you touch Rose after all she's done to protect him? You brought this on yourself and you know it. Stop lying to yourself and to me."

He turned and leaned down, helping Rose to her feet. He picked up her broken glasses and placed them in her hands as he turned back around, keeping himself between his ex and her. "You make me SICK, Chichi. HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO GOTEN? You want the reason why our family is broken up, you have only to look in a mirror. How DARE you call my son a monster?! You're the monster. You ever put another finger on him again, I'll kill you. You touch or threaten Rose again, you will regret it." He looked like he wanted to say more, but he just shook his head.

Chichi narrowed her eyes, her voice dangerously low. "If this family meant as much to you as you claim it does, how come you never noticed? Oh, that's right. You were far too busy training to be concerned about the health and wellbeing of your family. Don't pretend like we ever meant anything to you, Goku, because you know it's a lie. Otherwise, you would have been home and you would've noticed."

Sabriena's jaw dropped at Chichi's words and she started forward, her hair flashing to a brilliant golden light. "I'll kill her," she snarled.

Tien wrapped a strong arm around her waist and pulled her back. "Not here," he growled in her ear, casting a nervous glance up at Goku as their wife struggled to free herself.

Goku glowered at her, the wind picking up around him as he struggled to contain his own energy. "No, I wasn't there. You never gave me a reason to be home. That does NOT excuse ANYTHING THAT YOU DID TO OUR SON! I SHOULDNT HAVE HAD TO BE HOME TO PROTECT MY SON FROM HIS MOTHER." Goku turned away from her and wrapped a protective arm around Rose, speaking over his shoulder, "Stay away from MY family and MY friends, Chichi. I promise you, you will regret it if you dare hurt any one of them again." He turned back swallowing hard as he walked past Vegeta and Bulma, looking at Tien and Sabriena. She looked beautiful, powered up and deadly, "Let's go." He couldn't even say goodbye because it wasn't good and he said bye a long, long time ago.

Sabriena glared daggers at Chichi, who looked like she wanted to scream or attack but was thinking better of it. "You're lucky!" Sabriena spat. "If I ever get the chance, I will kill you for what you did to that little boy! And for what you put my husband through! You hear me?!"

Tien pulled at her, trying to get her to walk with them. "Dammit, Sabriena," he growled and finally hauled her over his shoulder and fell into step next to Goku.

Rose was whimpering, one hand over her eye. She pulled her hand back and her lip trembled as she saw blood on her fingers. She pressed her hand back to her face again, trying to take comfort in the feel of Goku's strong arm around her shoulders.

Chichi glared after them. "Good move, Tien! I wouldn't want to hurt your little slut, too!" she called. "YEAH! KEEP WALKING, YOU COWARDS!"

Sabriena struggled harder against Tien's shoulder, determined to get at Chichi.

"Bunch of freaks!" Chichi taunted.

Tien paused and looked over his shoulder. Gods, he hated that woman. He looked at Goku, cocking an eyebrow. "Want me to turn her loose?"

Goku shook his head. "No. Chichi isn't worth it."

"Goku! Don't you walk away from me!" Chichi shrieked.

Goku ignored her, his arm around Rose, one hand over her right eye, the other clutching her broken glasses.

"HEY, MISTER! I SAID STOP!" She raised her fist once again and lunged at him, only to find her fist in a crushing grip.

Vegeta had caught her hand as she rushed by him. "Perhaps Kakarot has the restraint not to hurt you, but I don't," he said in a dangerously low voice. He pressed back with his hand, her wrist bending backwards and she gasped in pain. "For too many years have I listened to your incessant screeching. Your bitching about everything on the face of this wretched planet." He was still bending her wrist back as she clawed at his hand, her knees buckling. Vegeta's voice grew steadily louder as he spoke, "For more than twenty years you denied your mate the most basic of needs. You forced your opinions and your will on your oldest son to the point of nearly destroying his eyes. And now, of all things, you force your youngest son to lower his power level, his one defense against you, so that you could LASH HIM?!"

Chichi was on the ground, whimpering against the pain in her wrist, genuine tears leaking from her dark eyes as Vegeta leaned in dangerously close to her.

"How dare you leave a mark upon Saiyan flesh? How dare you abuse one of the last of my kind?! That kind of offense is punishable by death! And nothing would give me greater pleasure right now."

Goku turned and looked over his shoulder, his voice even, still calm as he spoke. There was some amount of pleasure coursing through him. Vegeta could always speak what he dared not. "Vegeta. Don't give her the honor." He turned back and started walking again.

"Vegeta," Bulma said softly, touching his arm. "We're going to be late for the party. That suit was expensive. I don't want to have to take it to the cleaners to get blood out of it." Bulma didn't look at Chichi, nor did she even acknowledge her.

Vegeta was seething. "You ever touch one of us again, and I will have your head for it," he growled, his voice lower than they'd ever heard it, a controlled, primal sound like a predator ready to pounce.

Bulma shivered as she tugged at her husband again. He finally released Chichi and followed the others, none of them looking back as they left.

Goku smiled at Sabriena, his arm still around Rose, holding her close as they walked. Her wound was still bleeding. It just made his blood boil even more; Chichi did deserve worse. The only thing that gave him solace was the fact that Chichi wouldn't be able to see his son for at least six months, maybe even more. The homes were blessed and anyone who meant harm would not be able to enter. He let out a shaky sigh, "Thanks guys, for everything." He smiled at them, looking ahead to Capsule Corp, looking forward to being able to be with his son.

Rose stepped a little closer to Goku as they walked, still shaking from Chichi's attack. She'd never been hit like that before in her life. It stung and ached, it felt like that half of her face was on fire.

"You okay, Rose?" Sabriena asked.

"Yeah," Rose answered, but she didn't sound convincing at all.

Sabriena skipped ahead of them, then turned to walk backwards in front of Rose. "Dammmmn, she clocked you good," she gasped. "You took it like a champ. You're one tough bitch." She winked.

Rose let out a nervous giggle. "You think?"

"Sure," Sabriena said, grinning at Goku, "just hang around us a little bit and you'll be the one dishing out ass-kickings."

"I don't know about that," Rose answered quietly as they finally reached Capsule Corp.

Goku chuckled, "Yeah, I think we'll have to teach you a few things. If you hang out with us, you'll have to know how to take care of yourself." He smiled down at her, "I'm sorry she hurt you. We will find Dende, he can patch you up right as rain." He looked up at Sabriena and smiled at her. She was beautiful, smiling and uppity, like her old self. But something was different about her. She cared for and loved Goten as if he was her own. Goku loved it. He couldn't wait to arrange the first day Goten would be able to spend the night over with them at the cabin, with his new mother.


	41. Two Become One

Rose's face was aching by the time they caught up to Lindsey and Gohan, who happily handed Goten over to his father. She certainly didn't feel like attending a party. She pressed against her eye with the heel of her hand, trying to see where she was going with only one eye.

"You should'a decked that bitch, Rose!" Sabriena said as she skipped alongside the taller woman. "I should'a decked her for you."

Rose shook her head slightly, "No. I think your friend over there put the fear of God into her. That should do it," she said, jerking her thumb over her shoulder at Vegeta.

They entered the living room of Capsule Corp where their friends were waiting with their breaths held. Jenny jumped off the couch at the sight of Goten perched on his father's shoulders. "YOU GOT HIM BACK!"

Goku grinned widely at her and Goten beamed at her as well. Goku reached up and lifted his son off of his shoulders and set him on the ground, kneeling down, "And it's all thanks to Rose. Couldn't have done it without you!"

Jenny was already leaning down and picking up Goten hugging him close, "You are such a brave little warrior. We're throwing this party for you. Come on. We prepared a whole feast for you and your daddy," She smiled over at Rose, "And your guardian. What on earth happened to you?!"

Dende was already walking towards the door before Rose had even walked in. He felt her pain. It had grown the closer she had gotten to Capsule Corp. He had known they had won the case after a flux of emotions; anxiety, horror and finally relief and then into fear and pain. Something had happened. He saw Rose's dark eye fresh red, purple and black. "Chichi," he muttered.

Goku coldly replied, "She's been warned."

Dende met Rose and looked her over, feeling his heart hammering in his chest. He didn't know how to feel. Chichi did this to her? He felt like he should do something, but from the look on Goku's face, on Vegeta's, he could sense what happened and what was said. He had a new respect for both of them. He reached out and gingerly touched the mark, "I can fix that. Follow me. The kitchen is empty. The food has been moved to the backyard. The weather's so nice, they decided to have a picnic." He grasped her hand, entwining her fingers with his. He sighed inwardly at the relief that brought as he led her away.

Jenny stared after them and set Goten back on the floor, giving him a smile before she looked back at Rose's retreating back. "How bad was it? That video? And then Chichi dared attack her after the fact?! Hasn't she done enough?!" She had wanted to attend, but they had figured less was more and sent the bare essentials to the courthouse. She felt better after Vegeta agreed to go. He didn't need as much arm twisting as she thought he would need. He almost jumped at the opportunity. She could feel the anger seething from him. His posture, the look in her father's eyes. He looked murderous. She wasn't sure if she wanted to hear what that video had shown.

Rose felt a pleasant flutter in her stomach as Dende lead her away from the group. She still didn't understand what was happening. And her head was aching far too much for her to put this puzzle together right now, no matter how much it intrigued her. She was trying not to cry from the pain. She'd never been hit before, not like that anyway. She suddenly imagined the true pain inflicted on the children she worked to protect and wondered how ones so little could endure so much. How had little Goten ever survived living with that woman? She hit like a freight train, and that was with her hand alone. She'd hit him repeatedly for years with a stick? The tears started to flow as she thought of it, making her injured eye burn and ache even more. Her head felt like it was splitting. She certainly didn't feel like eating anything at the moment. The kitchen was quiet and the lighting was dimmed; only the late afternoon sun shone through the windows. She was grateful for the quiet. Everything in her life had seemed so loud lately.

Dende helped her sit on the bar counter putting them at an even level. "There." He had to wince being this close when she was in so much pain, the quiet was what she needed. He stepped up to her and reached up carefully to brush her hair aside. He tucked the strands behind her ear, looking carefully at the already swelling black eye. He exhaled, calming himself. He was grateful that Goku and Vegeta had stepped in to protect her. "You did a great thing today," he said softly. He reached up, gently grasping her chin and tilting it towards the light. He heard her soul, the pain there. "It's terrible to think she did this to Gohan and Goten over who knows how many years," he muttered, somewhat bitter, "I cannot believe she hit you." He lifted his hand, reaching up and covering her eye with his warm palm. He concentrated as a warm glow formed around his hand and sent the healing energy deep into her injury, easing away the pain.

Rose leaned into his soft touch, her eyes closing as that comforting glow washed away the pain. She sighed contentedly. There was a relaxing sensation in her chest, her heart, like she could just sit here forever with his hand cradling her face. The pain was gone, and yet his hand still lingered. She didn't want him to pull away. Why? What was happening to her? She turned her face slightly, leaning just a little more into his touch, a pleasant shiver running up her spine as the edge of her full lips brushed his palm. She'd never had feelings like this before, for anyone, and now she was feeling them for two men. One of them married, but seemingly so human. The other leading a life of solitude like her own, but so obviously different from herself. Was it simply the attention of a man, any man, that would make her feel like this? She somehow didn't think so. It was them, both of these men, who had captured her heart and she knew she could never be with either of them. Her mind was racing again. Trying to fit all the pieces together, to sort them out, to figure out where she went from here. Her job with them was done. Was she supposed to just fade into their memories and continue with her work? Move on to the next child who needed her, just as she always did? She didn't want to go.

Goku walked into the kitchen, he wanted to check on Rose. He had managed to calm his temper; Chichi was long gone from his mind. He spotted Dende healing Rose on the bar, "Hey! There you guys are. I was worried about you, Rose. Is she going to be okay Dende?" He watched as the Namek turned to him and smiled, but his face fell a little bit and Goku wondered why. Perhaps he should have left them alone for a bit.

Dende gave a tired sigh, taking his hand from Rose's face, revealing unblemished, healthy skin. Like it never happened. He took pleasure from feeling her without pain. He looked to Goku and smiled, "She is just fine, Goku. Like it never happened." He smiled at Goku and then back at Rose, "I think I'll go see Goten outside." He felt his shoulders slump just a bit as he headed out the glass doors into the yard. Was he ever going to get a moment alone with her? He wanted so badly to tell her how he felt.

Goku smiled as Dende left, then walked over to Rose to inspect her face. "Sorry about your glasses, but it looks like Dende patched you up really good!" His eyes softened, a change from the cold hardness that had sunk in when he dealt with Chichi. "Rose, I can't thank you for what you've done for me and my family. If you ever need anything at all, just ask."

Rose watched Dende leave. She wanted him to stay, to call him back to her, but she just sat quietly and watched him go. "Oh, it was nothing," she muttered. "I'm just glad I was able to help." She looked down at the broken glasses in her hands. "I don't suppose any of your friends has special powers for fixing glasses, huh?" she asked with a slight laugh.

Goku chuckled, "Actually, Bulma might be able to help you out there. I know she would be more than happy to take a look." He smiled at her, "So what will you do now? I hope you don't disappear into your apartment again. I'll keep bugging you. You know I like to scare you by popping in. Not to mention, there are quite a few people here who want to thank you." He reached up and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, "You've been nothing short of amazing."

Rose gave him a small smile. "Thanks. I tried," she said. "I imagine everything will go back to the way it was. I have a lot of other cases I'm working on right now. Time to be a hermit again." She sighed. Goku was awfully close to her. "You're pretty amazing yourself," she said softly to him.

Goku laughed, the same warm and mirthful laugh he always had, lightened because his should had a weight lifted from him that day. "thanks! I try." He winked at her before tilting his head at her, "You know, I don't think being a hermit suits you. You're much better off being around people. Good people, like us. You need to surround yourself with happiness and good feelings to keep sane in your line of work." He reached up and cupped her cheek, "I don't want to see you become someone you're not."

Where had that butterfly feeling gone? She'd felt it so many times before. She didn't understand why it wasn't there now. She felt safe with Goku and, oh, he was so handsome. He was the first person to be her friend in a very long time. And, as much as she hated to admit it, Rose was lonely. His hand on her cheek was warm and comforting. "Goku," she whispered, leaning a little closer to him. Did she dare? She had to know. These feelings that were springing up whenever she was around him or Dende, she didn't understand. She had to know. He'd kissed her face before. What would it be like to kiss him? Would that give her the answers she sought? This missing piece of her heart, was he the one who was supposed to fill it? Or was that Dende? Every time she tried to kiss Dende, they were interrupted. She didn't see how else she would be able to figure this out. She leaned a little closer, her lips so close to his...

Goku didn't retract but at the very last instant he gently placed his hands on her shoulders, halting her movement. "I can't, Rose. I'm sorry. I love Sabriena. I love Tien. They're my mates. I could never betray them," he said in a soft but firm tone.

Rose closed her eyes, "I know. I'm sorry. But I can't help the way I feel."

Goku took her face in his hands, seeing the look in her eyes. Poor thing, she was so confused. He didn't blame her. Everything was so new to her and strong feelings, especially love, could confuse even the smartest and most rational of people. "It's not me you're feeling for. You and I, we're kindred spirits. Friends. And we'll always be friends, no matter what happens." He paused and gave her a goofy smile, "I know I have a big personality and that's why you're confused. You're thinking about me when you're feeling for someone else." He poked a finger to her chest, over her heart. "It's not me in there. It's someone else. And I think you know who, if you would just be honest with yourself."

Rose bowed her head, slowly closing her eyes. She knew better. "I shouldn't have done that," she said. Goku was married and it was obvious that he was very much in love with his wife and husband. Oh, that was stupid. "I just, don't understand why sometimes I feel so..." she didn't know how to describe it. She dared to look into his eyes again. "Goku, I'm sorry. Please, forget what I what I tried to do. I don't want to lose your friendship. You're the best friend I've ever had." She looked sad and confused and sorry as she spoke. She had never been so confused in her life. She wasn't hurt at his rejection, which surprised her.

And in that moment, Rose realized his words are true. It was Dende she was in love with. She'd spent so much time working with Goku, trying to get his son back, that she thought these feelings were for him. But they were all for Dende. He was her destiny. He was the reason she'd never been with anyone else before, had never taken an interest in anyone else before. He was her soul mate.

She hugged Goku's neck tightly. "Please promise we'll always be friends. I can't imagine my life without you."

"I'm not going anywhere! You're my friend, Rose! I'm not walking away from you," Goku chuckled, "And there's nothing to forgive. I know I may be a bit oblivious sometimes. Most of the time, actually, but you'll figure this out. You are a smart woman, you know. You will always have my friendship." He grinned and leaned closer, lowering his voice, "That is unless you grope my tail scar again. Sabriena might get jealous." He laughed and reached out and gingerly took her glasses in hand, "I'll go see if Bulma can't fix these up for you. Why don't you go find Goten? I know he wants to thank you. He should be with Dende out in the yard."

Rose blushed furiously. "I still can't believe I did that," she said, covering her eyes with her hands and laughing slightly. "I will never make that mistake again! I thought your wife was going to kill me." She paused and looked at him for a second before she hugged him tightly once more. "Thank you for being my friend."

Rose found her way out to the yard where everyone was eating and visiting happily. Goten was running across the yard with little Trunks and Marron, Paige running behind them, trying to keep up. "GOOO-TEN!" she shouted. "You wait fo' me!" Rose couldn't help but smile at them as they played. She saw Tien talking to Piccolo, his eyes met hers and he gave her a nod as if to say 'thank you' and she waved back at him. Her eyes scanned the party goers, looking for the only other friend she had. She finally saw him sitting on the low garden wall, watching the festivities. She crossed the yard to him, offering a slight smile. "May I sit with you, Dende?"

Dende had visited around for a moment after he had left Rose in the kitchen with Goku. He had felt her emotions. She had been so confused and then she came outside. He couldn't hide his smile as she made his way over to him. She was still dressed in her suit, hair a little messy from the scuffle with Chichi, but he thought she was the most beautiful creature on this earth. He wanted to tell her how he felt, was it time yet? He patted the stone next to him; he felt giddy as she sat down with him, their thighs touching. Pure bliss. He just wanted to lean against her shoulder and lose himself in that comfort she exuded to him. "I thought you would never ask." He smiled at her, "Never was much of a party goer myself, but I figured this called for one. You did very well. I don't know if I said it before. It took a lot of courage for you to do what you did." He looked out in the yard watching Paige dutifully following Goten around, he stopped to pick her up on his back and they ran across the yard, giggling like mad.

Rose shrugged. "I just wanted to help," she said. "I've never been shown this much appreciation before. I don't really know how to handle it." She gave a nervous laugh. There it was again, that jittery, fluttering feeling in her stomach. Yet there was a calmness, sitting next to Dende. She looked at him and leaned just a little closer, her voice a loud whisper, "I don't really go to parties. This is kind'a weird to me. Shhhhh! Don't tell them. I don't want to hurt their feelings."

Dende laughed and leaned closer still, turning his head to her, "I don't care much for them either, but this was important. Look at how happy everyone is. It's because of you, you know." He reached out and hesitantly put a hand on her knee, rubbing it soothingly. You did good work. We love you, Rose. Don't think that you have to disappear into your work again. I want, I mean, if you ever need to talk, maybe I should drop by every so often to see how you're doing."

His hand on her knee was so comforting. "I'd like that, Dende," she said quietly. She'd like for him to come see her every day. There was something deep within her that was burning, a longing that she'd never felt before. Her head was clearer now. Goku was right. She knew who was in her heart now. It was Dende. It had always been Dende.

She swallowed, trying to hide the way her hands were shaking. She didn't regret trying to kiss Goku, because it had finally made her see what she really wanted, what she was unable to see before. She felt foolish, though, thinking they could ever be together like that. He was her friend, nothing more, nothing less. He had overshadowed Dende in a way, even if he hadn't meant to. The affection she felt for the Saiyan was because he was the first person to befriend her in a very long time. And it had been he who introduced her to Dende. And the butterflies she felt were only for him. Dende. Handsome, compassionate, understanding Dende. All the moments they'd shared, the piano, almost kissing that day, swimming together, the mistletoe, slipping on the ice at the park, him comforting her in her moments of need, always at her side when no one else was, dancing at the wedding. Surely he felt it, too. She suddenly needed him, wanted him at her side, to hell with the bridesmaids and wedding guests and ANYONE in society who would give them weird looks. He was what she wanted and she didn't know if she could go another day without him.

Dende smiled up at Rose, nervously, the first time in a long while. He tilted his head at her, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," she squeaked, stopping to clear her throat. "Yeah, I'm okay." She was thinking about his touch, how he'd healed her earlier after Chichi had punched her. She opened her mouth, then closed it, trying to choose her words carefully. "Dende, I... You... I can't... When I'm around you... My heart... Butterflies..." She was talking with her hands, trying to explain, this wasn't coming out right at all. "I think I love you." Her eyes went wide at the words as they slipped from her mouth. Her cheeks burned as she cast a nervous glance at him.

Dende's eyes went wide a second before he schooled his expression, his heart was pounding. He felt an answering ache in his heart. He wanted to respond in kind, "Rose, I know. I mean, you've been through a lot lately. I think," Gods, it hurt him to say this, "I don't want you to jump into anything and regret it." He had to look away from her. His eyes were starting to tear up and a horrible pain ached deep in his chest. "Gods help me, I'm in love with you, Rose. But I couldn't bear it if you didn't feel the same way."

"Dende," she said, trying to control her voice, her own eyes burning. "Dende, look at me. Please?" She touched his chin, turning him to face her. "I was confused, Dende. I've been confused for a long time. You are the one I want. I thought that, maybe, we were too different. You know? But every time I see you, I'm happy. And every time I get to hold your hand or hug you, it's like my heart stops and I feel whole. I've never felt like that before. And, I thought, maybe what I was feeling for you was from Goku because, well, you know how he is." She pressed her lips together for a second, staring into his beautiful dark eyes. "I'm not confused anymore. I don't know how I couldn't see it earlier. Dende, you're the one I want. I'm in love with you."

Dende took her hand into his, relishing in the connection he felt. He looked at her, searching her eyes, wondering if she was feeling the same thing as well. He cradled her hand in his and looked at her a moment before he reached up with his other hand and cupped her cheek. "Are you sure you can stand the green skin? I always look this good," he chuckled, flashing her his charming smile.

She blinked away the tears in her eyes, nodding as she smiled. "Yeah, I think so," she laughed lightly. She squeezed his hand, her heart fluttering as she leaned into his touch. She wanted to be with him so bad, for him to be the one she came home to every night and woke up to every morning. The realization hit her like a tidal wave. She didn't know what to do or what to say. She couldn't stand the questioning look in his eyes. "I know I asked you to stop," she said quietly, "but read my thoughts. Feel what I feel right now. I mean what I say, Dende. Please. Please don't turn me away. I love you." If he turned her down... After all these years of being alone, saving herself for the one person she hoped she would eventually find, she couldn't face the rejection if he turned away from her.

He closed his eyes, his antenna twitching lightly as he eased into her mind, feeling the warmth of her feelings, the life she was picturing. Gods, she really did want him. Just him. Dende felt a warmth blossoming in his chest. Sheer and utter relief flooded his system and he looked over at her, catching her eyes. Calm, mesmerizing. He felt complete in that moment. He needed more of a connection to her and not breaking eye contact he fumbled around until he had her hands in his, fingers entwined. "Rose," His voice was barely a whisper, "I would never turn away from you." He smiled at her, falling into her eyes, "I love you too, Rose. It's a beautiful life. I would be honored to be that person for you. To be honest, there's no one else I would ever, could ever, picture in my life but you." He leaned in, resting his forehead against hers, his antenna brushing gently against her skin. He sighed happily.

Her heart fluttered, her eyes closing at the feel of his antennae brushing against her cheeks. She bit her lower lip and smiled. This longing she'd felt for so long, he was right here, returning her feelings. Her eyes fluttered shut and she leaned into him, one of his antennae barely brushing against her nose. "I don't understand what's going on," she said, her voice a whisper as well. There was a peace that settled in her, resonating all the way to her core, like her whole life had led up to this moment of finding him. She squeezed his hand. "Help me understand, Dende."

Dende felt his antenna twitch against her nose. He wanted her. His eye went back to the party. He wanted her alone, but he couldn't wait any longer. He pulled back from her, looked into her eyes, and lifted his hands up to cup her face between them. "Remember the story Lindsey's grandmother told us about the original humans and how they used to be one entity? Rose, I know without a doubt in my mind that you are my other half. I feel peace I've never felt before when I am with you. And when we are apart, my every waking and sleeping thought is about you. I don't want you to leave my side. I don't think I could bear it." He passed a green finger over her peach colored skin, marveling at the difference. It was beautiful beyond measure. He leaned in, tilting his head slightly, his lips brushed hers as he spoke, quietly, "Please. Let me." It was something tangible that happened when their lips met for the first time in eons. The very universe seemed to shudder at that simple touch. Dende couldn't suppress the groan as their lips came together like they were made for each other.

Rose knew his words were true. It was the only thing that made sense. She didn't hesitate to let him press his lips to hers. They were soft and warm, yet there was a comforting firmness to them. Rose shuddered and slid her hands up his arms, over his shoulders to the sides of his neck, pressing her lips to his. Oh heavens above, if this is what a kiss was supposed to be like. She could die happy now.

Something happened then. A flood of memories washed over Rose, like little snippets of movies, memories that were not her own, not of her lifetime. Yet they were her and Dende in the lives they'd lived over and over throughout the centuries. They came and went so fast that she couldn't grab on to any of them, but she knew they were real. There was a whisper. It seemed to come from herself, but her lips were still pressed to Dende's, as if her half of the soul was speaking to his. She hadn't spoken the words, but there they were. So simple, yet meaning more than anyone could ever define. "I've found you."

Dende shivered in her arms, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer. Memories of a life past, several lifetimes over. She was saying something, not saying something. He heard her words all the same, his soul answered back, "I missed you, my other half."

Dende sighed into her kiss, tilting his head and leaning into her, kissing her like he had wanted to that day at the wedding before they had been interrupted. Oh gods. This… this was what he had been missing. Her lips were warm against his and it felt like he was coming home after a long journey. He leaned against her, barely breaking the kiss, smiling at her.

She blinked at him. Missed her? That was exactly what she had been feeling. But she couldn't explain it. How could she miss him when they'd never been together? There was something, there had to be MORE to them, even if she didn't understand it. She nodded against his forehead, the words seeming to come directly from her soul, "And I you, my love." She kissed him again, slow and passionate, drinking in every sensation around her as her soul screamed in triumph.

Rose wanted nothing but to cling to Dende, to hold him forever. This burning ache inside her to have her soul, her spirit next to his, wasn't going away any time soon. She didn't think she could be away from him now. Even if she hadn't realized it consciously, her half of the soul had been crying out for his her entire life. She suddenly felt very tired, like the feeling you get at the end of a very long, hard day after much work had been completed. That's what she felt. Complete. Like she'd finally found her way home. And still she pressed her lips to his. A crackling of dry lightning flashed in the clear sky overhead, drawing the attention of their friends.

Goku saw them first. The lightning had drawn his attention. There were no clouds in the sky, but something in the air felt right. There was a peace falling around them that he didn't think he'd ever felt before. It was amazing. It was _them_.

His friends looked exhausted. But more than that, he felt like he was intruding upon something that was supposed to be meant just for them. Goku pressed his lips together and approached them, his normally loud voice was silent. He could almost sense them, what they needed. Even without asking, he knew what they wanted. He reached out and placed a hand on both of their legs. He got the feeling it wouldn't matter even if he wasn't touching both of them and he pressed his fingers to his forehead and the next moment they were standing on the Lookout. They hadn't even seemed to notice him. He smiled and stepped back. He didn't have words for them, nothing they didn't already know, anyway. He vanished back to the party a second later.

Rose smiled against their kiss. Happiness like she'd never known coursed through her veins. She reluctantly broke the kiss, her lips brushing against his as she spoke, "My love..." This was all so new to her, and yet at the same time, it was so familiar. Her soul roared in triumph and joy. She needed to be with him. For them to be reunited as one once again. But her mortal side, the life she was living now, was nervous. Did he feel the same? Was he nervous? Had he ever been with anyone in this life? Her eyes searched his, knowing he could feel her thoughts, her questions.

Dende felt her wants. He wanted to be with her as well. He wanted nothing more than to just lay with her. He smiled at her and reluctantly pulled back, her hand still entwined with his own. He tucked her arm into his own and turned, remembering where he needed to go. His heart was fluttering. Was he anxious? Was she? He looked at her, hearing her question thrilled him. He spoke, his voice lower than he ever remembered it being, but still kind and warm. "I've never been with anyone in this lifetime, but I'm not worried. I feel as though we've done this before. It will come back to us." His mind was swimming, he agreed with her, this was all new, but familiar. He stopped briefly and scooped her up into his arms, kissing her once, twice, three times more before he pushed his legs to start moving. He finally made it to his room and nudged the door closed behind him as they entered. He felt like he was free falling and it was glorious. He moved to the bed and laid her down upon it. Marveling at the way she looked in his space; he had always thought this room was rather bare. But now, it was perfect. He moved his cloak off first before he crawled on the bed next to her, gathering her up in his arms, curling around her body, tucking her head underneath his chin. Heaven.

Rose wrapped her arms around Dende, clutching at his back. Oh, if she could just lie here for eternity with him in her arms. But, even then, she felt she needed more. To feel his skin against hers, the weight of his body, the taste of his mouth. She tilted her face up and pressed her lips to his throat, feeling his pulse beating wildly there, matching the nervous fluttering of her own heart. Trembling as she did so, Rose slightly parted her lips, daring to touch her tongue to his neck. His skin was smooth and warm. His scent was intoxicating. She hugged him tighter, barely moving against him. She was so nervous, but her soul insisted upon it, the words from the story echoing in her head, _"they would lay together in unity and know no greater joy than that."_

Dende couldn't stop the shiver that ran through his body at the feel of her lips on his throat. At the words that echoed between them. Reluctantly, he sat them both up. He took care to drink in every detail about her. His hands went to the buttons on her suit. This wasn't part of her; he wanted just her, with nothing between them. Not the burden of clothing. He slipped his hands into her jacket, sliding it down and off of her arms, tossing the jacket to the side, not caring where it fell. The buttons on her shirt he opened with care as inch after tantalizing inch of her creamy skin was revealed to his eyes. He acted on impulse, leaning down and pressing soft kisses to her neck down to the swell of her breasts. She was so sweet on his tongue. He tossed the shirt aside as well, reaching around her, holding her close as he unsnapping her bra and leaning back as she was revealed to him. He shuddered and leaned down to kiss each breast lovingly, placing a small kiss on each rosy nipple. An ache coursed through him as he felt her flesh tighten beneath his lips. He had to be joined with her. He had to be. His own body demanded it, his erection straining against the front of his pants. He looked up at Rose, his eyes pleading as he tugged his own shirt off and threw it off the bed. Fumbling with his belt, he unwound it from his waist and finally shifted on the bed, removing his pants. He was bare before her, his length hard and waiting for her warm body. "Rose, please? I will be gentle, my love."

Her breathing was ragged as she looked at her soulmate, his eyes pleading for them to be united. She could not deny him. She leaned over and pressed her lips to his again briefly. "Of course," she whispered as she slid her slacks off, her thumbs hooking in the lace panties, pulling them down as well. She laid next to him, her head on his shoulder, one of her long legs sliding to rest over his. Her bare curves pressed up to his side. She reached across his chest, grabbing his arm and pulling it towards her, trying to pull his body over hers. "I need you," she said softly.

Dende could not deny her. He rolled over her, feeling the butterflies again. He reached down between them, crouching between her legs. A moan wrenched from his throat as he took himself in his hand. He had never done this before. He reached down to her, his thumb feeling at the center of her body, sliding between her nether lips. They were slick and hot for him already. He moved himself closer and looked down, watching himself as he positioned himself at her entrance. He shuddered as he watched her body as she seemed to engulf him as he pressed into her. She was so tight. So hot. He pressed in until he felt resistance. He locked his eyes with her, sorry that to be joined there would have to be a moment of pain. "I will bare this with you, my love." Not giving her time to think, he snapped his hips forward, crying out in pain with her as he tore through her virginity. A gasp choked in his throat and the next moment, they were joined, hip to hip.

Rose whimpered, digging her nails into Dende's shoulders. Oh gods. She drew a deep breath, calming herself, willing the pain away as it was replaced by pleasure. Her eyes locked with Dende's and she knew he had felt her pain, too. But oh, the pure bliss she felt in her soul, their body finally complete once more. Joined together as they had once been so many centuries ago. She pressed her hips up, drawing him deeper inside her, then pressed back against the bed, lifting her hips again. The way he slid in and out of her body was nothing short of amazing. She never knew she could feel such pleasure. Her voice came out in little sharp gasping moans as pressed up against him slowly, as much as she could being pinned beneath him. "Oh, Dende," she breathed, pressing her lips to his collarbone, wrapping her arms around his back, trying to pull him tighter against her.

Oh by the gods. Dende's eyes nearly rolled into the back of his head it felt so good. The pleasure replaced the pain and mixed with this amazing sense that he was supposed to be there with this woman. Her soul and his. One. They were becoming one again. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that this was going to be a deliciously slow and beautiful process. He gasped as he wanted to change her position. They were equals. She shouldn't be under him. Still deep inside of her body, Dende managed to sit up. Every movement he made drew out moans from both of their mouths. He hooked an arm around her and held her against him as he scooted back, propping himself back up against the headboard. Looking up at her, his hands came to rest on her waist. He lifted her up as he drew his hips away, only to pull her back down with the force of gravity back upon him. He wanted to stay like this forever.

Rose rocked her hips forward, her mouth hanging slightly open to gasp at their every movement. She looked down at him, smiling softly as he held her waist, their bodies rocking together. She grasped the back of his neck and pulled him to her chest, laying the side of his face in the valley between her breasts. His body was hard and hot inside her, gently pressing into her, filling her. She contracted her muscles, squeezing around him, drawing a gasp from his lips and her own. Oh, such bliss. She pressed down harder on him, still rocking, wanting to give him as much pleasure as possible. Her love, her soulmate, the one she knew she would never be parted from again in this life. She held him tighter, staring at him, wondering. Carefully she pressed her lips to the tip of one of his antenna, letting her tongue brush over it.

Dende gasped out, shuddering as his body went tense as she did that. Ooh... oh gods. It tightened every muscle in his body, it made him ache, growing harder still. He groaned out against her, moving his head and took a nipple into his mouth, working the hardening nub between his teeth. He flicked his tongue against it, tasting her, so deliciously her. He turned his head and went for her other breast, "Please..." He had to know what it was like, if just once, "Take all of it in… please..." He moaned as he closed around her in his mouth. Gods, this woman. This heat. The tightness. The pleasure. He never wanted it to end. He wanted to lock himself away in there for a few days. Something was happening between them at this very moment. He could almost hear the rumble of the dragon not far off. Something was happening between them. The bond between them strengthening and growing stronger, "Rose, I love you. I love you, my dear heart. Never part from me again."

Rose pressed herself down, taking Dende's hard length as deep into her body as it could possibly go, her hips grinding on his, their bodies locked together as tightly as possible. This is what paradise must be like, to be so completely fulfilled, to know such joy, such pleasure. Rose threw her head back and moaned deep in her throat. "Never," she promised. "So long as we live this life, I will never leave your side." She heard it, too; the low, rumbling growl of the eternal dragon as more lightning lit up the sky. The entire world had gone still and silent as their bond grew, reformed itself, building and strengthening as they made love. They, the very last of their kind, making their presence known once again to the world. The universe. To the very Gods themselves.

Dende cried out; the world was in tune with them. It knew the magnitude of what was occurring at the peak of the world and seemed to shudder at the raw, ancient power.

He panted against her skin, her neck, feeling her frantic pulse beneath his lips. How he longed to mark her, the urge welling up within him to taste her, drink her in, welcome all of her inside of his body. Was he in her body or was she in his? He thrust up into her as he parted his lips and sank his sharp teeth in to her shoulder, his eyes rolling in the back of his head as her blood splashed across his tongue. He growled, groaning out as he thrust into her again. His world turned bright white as he felt himself go over that edge, filling her with his hot essence. He'd waited a life time for her. There was so much time to make up for.

Rose screamed as Dende's fangs pierced her skin, the sensation a delicious pain that sent jolts of white-hot pleasure down her spine. Her body seized around his, clenching upon his hard length, milking every bit of his essence from him as he emptied his body into hers, her blood flowing into his. Rose screamed out once again as the last waves of orgasm washed over her. Oh, what sweet bliss this was. They shared everything now. They were one again. Rose was panting as Dende's thrusts slowed, he held her tightly and she clung to him, both of them covered in sweat, the air around them hot and thick. And still, the world was silent as if it were taking a collective breath. "I missed you," Rose whispered to Dende. "My love, how I have missed you all these years."

Dende relaxed his jaw and let his teeth slip from her shoulder. He spoke in Namekian, but she heard and understood him just fine, "And I you, beloved." He felt boneless. He didn't want to move. He didn't want to part from her. He laid back on his back, pulling her down on top of him, and kissed her forehead. "I have all of these memories. Of us. Not us, but us as we once were. The lives we've lived. It's so complicated, but here we are." He kissed her again, long and slow. He wanted to sleep with her. He wanted to SLEEP with her again, too, but maybe after a short recess. It had been a really, really long day. "What shall we do next, Rose?"

"Rest," she whispered, laying her head on his chest, her body draped across him, completely exhausted. "We've been parted for too long. I just want to rest with you. Hold you. My love." She settled herself comfortably over him and let her eyes close. Never had she felt so loved, so cherished, so safe. She gave a contented sigh as she felt sleep overcome her and she slipped into that dark bliss to rest for just a while, her body never parting from his.


	42. As They Once Were

When Dende slowly woke up, he realized night had fallen. A silver light came in from his window and cascaded over part of his bed. He shivered, feeling the solid weight still on him. He felt his length twitch as he remembered he was still inside this amazing creature. Something had happened. He, she, they could remember just enough fragments of their memory that they felt already like long lost lovers. Which they were, but it was as if they had known each other, more so than the friendship they had started out with. This was deeper, defying time and space. He knew her. His body was waking up to her call. He was struck with sudden inspiration and rolled to his side, still cradling her to him, his member hardening further at the movement. On their sides, Dende lifted her leg up and pulled it tighter around him, and so very, very slowly thrust into her. It was slow, hot, her body clutching at his own, pulling him further and further inside.

He studied her face while he kept up the steady pace, had it been luck that Gohan and Krillin saved him when he was young? Had it been luck when Goku came back for him to be Earth's guardian? Or was it fate? It had to be fate. Praise be to the Fates if so. He felt tears well up in his eyes. He never knew he could be this happy. He paused in his thrusts, watching Rose's sleeping face, so calm, and unstressed. No tears for her cases today. She didn't need to cry any more. If she did, he would dry her tears and help in any way that he could. He closed his eyes, feeling their connection. She was hot silk around him, still slick from their first union. He gave a shudder. He wanted it to last, but there were other things he wanted to try. His half of their soul called for him to try, before they left this room. He thrust into her again, deeply, slowly. Pausing as he thought about his soul's wants. He wanted to drink from her at the same time she drank from him. Hopefully she felt the same urge to do so.

His mind was a pleasant buzz as he just leisurely made love to his sleeping soul mate, watching her facial expressions, twitches, that smile. That beautiful smile that was on her lips. He leaned down to kiss those full lips. By the breath of the gods, she was beautiful.

Rose shivered in his embrace, her eyes still closed, her voice barely a breath, "Dende." Her body gently moved against his, accepting him as deeply as he wanted, her expression serene and content. She was conscious of their union again, not fully awake, but trusting. Lovin. Trusting him so completely that she didn't have to fully wake. Her movements were sleepy, sensually slow. "My love," she whispered, a soft smile on her lips.

Dende nuzzled at her cheek when she said his name. The way she said it, like a whisper on a gentle breeze. He kept his thrusts deep and slow, enjoying the slow aching build for release. He could feel her pleasure from this. She ached to be filled, to stay filled. Gods, he wanted her. It was more than the act of making love. He wanted their soul to transcend their bodies if only for a moment and make love on a whole new plane of existence. Melding and truly becoming one as they once were. He shuddered, coming within her as his pleasure washed over him like a sigh. Her body milked him again and he tightly held her close to him, not wanting his essence to leave her just yet.

Rose shivered again, her body clenching at Dende as she felt him come deep within her, the hot liquid pooling inside her. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at him. "Thank you, my love," she whispered. She didn't know what had come over her, speaking her love so freely to him. It was as if her soul was speaking for her. It was so strange, so otherworldly, and yet so right. She kissed him softly, passionately, her tongue sliding against his, his taste crisp and fresh like ice water from a spring. She could tell he wanted something. She wished she could read him as easily as he read her. She slowly broke the kiss. "What is it you want, love? You can tell me."

Dende shivered, resting his forehead against hers, his antenna twitching almost as if they were feeling around "So much, my beloved Rose. I have filled the cup and I wish to drink in your nectar. I want our souls to leave these bodies so we can make love and truly become one." Dende's speech was slightly different; it was their soul was speaking, memories and habits picked up over centuries wandering and lonely, pining for the other half until they were reunited in each life time. But then always crossing over alone and beginning the cycle again.

She nodded, her forehead still against his. "I want nothing more than to fulfill your every wish, my love. For it is my wish as well." She kissed him again, a little more forcefully this time. She would never deny him anything, for in doing so she denied herself and there was no logic in that. If he wished to drink from her, then she would do the same from him.

He moaned into the kiss, letting her be as forceful as she wanted to be for a moment before he broke the kiss and carefully slid back from her. His length slipped from her, but rapidly hardened again at the idea of what was to come. He rolled on to his back and looked at her, licking his lips. He ached to be back inside of her again. This merger wasn't done yet and he hoped they would be able to come back to themselves when it was finished. He looked at her, his eyes flickering down to her dripping sex. He lifted a finger and beckoned her over. He had to have a taste.

Rose moved over him, lowering her body to his face, moaning as his mouth quickly and thirstily captured her. She laid over his body, admiring his hard length before carefully wrapping her lips around it. She could taste him, could taste herself, a sweet mixture as she pulled more of him into her mouth, carefully and lovingly suckling him. Her tongue danced along his hot, hard flesh for a moment before she sucked again, smiling a bit as he raised his hips ever so slightly. She pressed further upon him, feeling him touch the back of her throat. And there was still several more delicious inches of him just waiting to be sucked. She sighed around him, relaxing, slowly pulling more of him into her mouth as he penetrated her throat. She moaned deeply and felt him shiver.

Dende purred deep in his throat as she suckled at him. The way she knew what to do, exactly where to press to make him go crazy with need. Not to be outdone, he tried his best to return the pleasures she gave him. He locked his mouth around her, slipping his tongue deeply into her slick folds, tasting himself and her. She was like ambrosia, nectar of the gods, so sweet, so good. He shivered as he suckled her and her their sweet essences poured forth into his eager mouth. He reached up and steadied her hips seconds before he pressed his face in closer and sucked hard, trying to draw out everything she had to offer, everything he had emptied into her body. He wanted it. All of it. His hips gave a jerk as that amazing tongue of hers twisted this way and that, poking at the very tip of his erection before she plunged down to swallow him whole. He had to control himself. He couldn't just thrust into her mouth wantonly, he didn't want to hurt her, but oh it was so tempting to drive his cock up into her hot, willing mouth.

Rose nearly screamed as she felt Dende's mouth suck at her body so deeply. Oh gods, his mouth was so hot and wet against the most intimate part of her body. Never before had she been touched by a man and now... Oh, divine bliss. She sensed his need for more, his holding back. Maybe she was starting to read him a little better than she thought. She moved her neck faster, capturing every last inch of him, sucking at him as hard as he suckled her. She buried her face against his body, swallowing, her throat pulling at him. Over and over she swallowed, her throat working over him, her tongue curling around him, wanting nothing more than to drink in every last drop of his essence, wondering what his pure essence would taste like as it exploded on her tongue.

Dende should have known she was reading his thoughts. Oh by the gods! What was she doing to him? Gone was the composed Guardian of Earth and here was this wanton creature wanting nothing more than to savor this woman. Love her. Protect her. Make love to her every day and night for the rest of their lives. He wasn't going to last long with her mouth on him like that. He went after her like a man dying of thirst. He pulled back slightly to find that little nub at the head of her folds and he took it between his teeth and teased it with his tongue. She buckled against him. He felt his release coming and his thrusts became erratic as he thrust once, twice more before he came with a shuddering sigh, spilling his hot seed across her tongue

Rose thirstily swallowed him down, sucking, sucking, sucking for all she was worth. She wanted him. ALL of him. She cried out as he tormented her with his teeth and his tongue, the most exquisite orgasm washing over her entire being. She tensed and shook, screaming out as more of his essence flowed over her tongue and she swallowed again. She drank deeply from him until he was gasping and there was not a drop left to be had. She felt him relaxing and let him gently slip from her lips, swallowing one last time and laying the side of her face on his thigh, panting. Oh dear gods, this was beyond amazing. She moved her face closer and began kissing him, the tip of him, down the length of his shaft, kissing the soft orbs of flesh beneath, every kiss slow and deliberate as though she were worshiping his body.

Dende was in absolute bliss, shivering as she kissed him so intimately. He should have been blushing at having done such an act, but it felt so right. There was nothing to be embarrassed about, no shame to be had. As she kissed him, he nuzzled his face into the impossibly soft curls, licking her clean as he went along, unable to resist sliding his tongue along those succulent lips once more. He thought about how they would have an out of body experience together. How could they accomplish that?

Dende reluctantly pulled away, gently tugging Rose up and around to him, where he pressed his lips to hers, tasting himself on her lips, letting her taste herself on his. "There's something else I want to try." He lifted his hand to cup her cheek, "If you'll allow me." He laid back down, arranging her next to him, slipping his hand into hers. He spoke softly, "Close your eyes and clear your mind. Feel yourself become lighter and lighter. Start at your feet, imagine them weightless. Work your way out. I'll help you once you get far enough along." He closed his own eyes, going through his normal meditative trance. He could do astral projection well. He could help pull her the rest of the way if need be.

Rose followed his instructions, listening to the calm, comforting sound of his voice. She didn't know what he was doing, but she didn't question it. She would never question him. Her body began to relax, her breathing slowing as she seemed to sink into the bed. She was vaguely aware of his hand in hers. His voice started to sound far away. It felt like she was floating on the air, her body so relaxed, was she even in her body anymore? She felt intangible, like mist. She couldn't hear Dende speaking anymore. She reached out with her mind, searching for him, calling to him, _'Dende?'_

_'I'm here. You're doing great.'_ He reached out, grasping her hand and pulling her the rest of the way. She did so well for the first time. He looked down and saw their bodies. He looked at her ethereal form. She was exceptionally beautiful. _'Open your eyes Rose. I've got you. Look where we are.'_

Rose opened her eyes and gasped. Below her, she could see Dende lying in bed, her own body next to him. But yet, he was right there beside her, hovering in midair. SHE was hovering in midair. She threw her arms around his neck, startled. His warm embrace comforted her, calmed her. She stared into his eyes. It was him, but not as solid. She could feel him, touch him, but there was a mist-like quality to both their bodies.

Dende wrapped his arms around her, smiling brightly at her, _'This is called astral projection. Our soul, Rose, look.'_ He held up his hand and brought her hand up to face his. He pressed them together, relishing in the pleasant warm buzzing feeling as they touched, but after another moment, their hands started to meld together. Dende sighed at the sensation_. 'According to the story, we were once one entity.'_

Rose blinked widely at him, then at their hands. Her entire being was filled with a contented warmth. More memories flooded her mind. She and Dende, in different forms, as young lovers at college. Another form, an old couple in their rocking chairs on a porch. High school sweethearts at a dance. A young couple torn apart by war. Two young children playing in a field. So many lives they had lived over the centuries, always finding each other again and again. But this time, this time Dende's part of their soul had been born into a body that was different. He had special powers, he knew things differently this time.

Rose pushed her forearm against his, watching it melt into it. This would be the first time in centuries, perhaps millenniums, that their soul was one again. The first time since Zeus had ripped it apart and created two beings. "Will we separate again?" she asked, her voice had an echoing quality to it as she spoke.

Tears formed in Dende's mind at the memories from all of their past lives. He looked at her, smiling, "I honestly don't know. Zeus is jealous of what we have. He fears us. We most likely will separate again, but for now, he can't take this experience away from us." He reached out to her with his other hand, cupping her face in his hand and bringing their lips together. It was weightless but firm, more warmth spread through them both. More memories. More feelings. He wrapped his arm around her and pressed her close feeling his whole body tingling. They were glowing, melding together, becoming one, just how they had been created into the world. Dende shuddered, no, she shuddered. The feelings wrapped around them both. They were connected in the most intimate way possible. They simply were together. They shuddered together, an intense wave of pleasure washing over them from a thousand lifetimes shared together.

They were one once again. The way they were at the beginning of their existence. They remembered the fateful day when the gods had grown jealous of them and their kind. Tthey had been created by the gods. Such pain they had never experienced until their soul was torn in two, resulting in the beginning of male and female. They'd sworn to find each other in every incarnation. That they would always be together no matter what time they found themselves born into. They promised the Great Mother, She who ruled over all realms, that they would serve and protect the people of earth if only she granted that they were born into the same time periods within reasonable amounts of time to each other. As long as they were together and able to find one another, they vowed to always protect those who could not protect themselves. And now, finally, if only for a moment, they were one again. Tears of joy leaked from their eyes as they laughed, this ethereal body spinning in the air, relishing the feeling of completeness once again.

"We remember everything. The gods must have been jealous to bare one of our soul to a world far from earth. My dearest heart and soul. My love. They tried to keep us apart this time."

"Let them try. We have a promise from the Great Mother, She who rules all, that we will be together for eternity. As long as we complete the work set for us, there is nothing that can stop us. All of the others have passed on. But we are eternal, my love."

"The dragon recognized us for who we were. That is why he spoke the first time we entered his temple together. That is why he rumbles now. Our union has reawakened powers that have long since been forgotten. He knows. The dragon knows that something bigger is coming, something is happening. But together, we can protect this world and her people."

"As long as we are together, we can weather this storm. If the gods themselves were fearful of us, there is nothing we cannot handle now that we are one again."

* * *

Rose blinked in the darkness of the room. Her body felt heavy and blocky. She turned to see Dende sleeping peacefully next to her. What had happened? This whole night had been so unexpected. Had it been a dream? It didn't feel like a dream. It had felt real. She'd been content and happy. She was still happy, just not quite like that. Nothing would ever compare to that experience. She laid on her side and studied Dende as he slept. She'd never seen anyone so handsome in her life. So much of her life made sense to her now. The way she'd never taken an interest in another man, how she had been dedicated to protecting others ever since she was a little girl. All of it made sense now. She reached out to touch him, tracing the line of his lips, the bridge of his nose, the strength of his jaw, committing every detail to memory. Her fingers lightly trailed up one of his antennae.

Dende moaned at the touch of her on his antenna, unable to suppress the shudder that went from his antenna down through his body. He blinked his eyes, coming back to himself. He looked over at Rose, his body tense, stiffening at her touch. The antenna under her finger twitched towards her. His voice was thick, sultry, "Again... please..."

Rose ran her fingers lightly up the antenna again, smiling as she watched his back arch and his length harden. She did it again, slower this time, ever so slightly squeezing it between her finger and her thumb. She paused at the tip and rolled it lightly, then twirled it around her fingers. Dende was panting, his eyes shut for a moment as she played with it, loving the soft feel of this appendage in her fingers. She carefully pressed her lips to it before opening her mouth, capturing the tip of it in her full, warm lips, lightly flicking her tongue over it.

Dende couldn't stop the shout that came from his throat as her hot mouth closed around the tip. His entire body was so stiff he could barely move. He could feel his essence already starting to drip down the side of his length. His breath caught in his throat as her tongue moved over his antenna. "Please... I need you... please, Rose..." He had to feel her, he wanted to be inside of her, to feel connected again. He loved her. He loved his other half. More tears of joy came to his eyes as he remembered their lives together.

Rose moved over him, sliding her wet heat over him, not taking him into her yet, just slowly trailing herself up and down, rubbing herself over his throbbing member. She grasped the other antenna gently in her hand, she could tell how sensitive they were, and pulled it into her mouth as well, twirling her tongue around both tips. Dende's body was stiff beneath her, his voice crying out for her. She could feel that liquid heat trailing down him as she ground her body against his. She smiled as she finally drew him into her body, filling her, making her moan over then antennae in her mouth and she began to suck.

Dende was absolutely paralyzed. What had happened to that timid little caseworker? She had transformed into this beautiful creature, seductress. He couldn't stop the moan that came out of his throat, "ROSE!" He wanted to hold on to her but he couldn't even lift his arm. He had to try. His muscles tensed. All he wanted was to grab her hips as she so deliciously ground onto him. Gods an inch... another inch and he was finally painstakingly able to grasp her. But for naught, he couldn't even thrust up. He was at her mercy. He never felt so hard in his life. His moaning became desperate as she did something wicked to his antenna with her tongue.

* * *

Jenny started awake staring at the ceiling of the bedroom a moment, trying to figure out what had woken her up. She noticed Piccolo curled up on his side with a pillow pressed tightly to his ears. She heard a muffled noise and she realized it was a noise she hadn't heard in the Lookout before. She tilted her head and listened carefully, and then wished she hadn't when she heard a very distinct moaning coming from somewhere in the vicinity of the guardian's bedroom. Her eyes widened. Dende? He had someone over? He had _someone?!_ When the hell did that happen? Who was it? She looked over at Piccolo; he wasn't asleep, judging by the way his hand was grasping at that pillow. She poked his shoulder, "Is Dende doing what I think he is?! With whom!?"

Piccolo gave her a disgusted look. "Rose, apparently, by the way he keeps shouting her name," he growled, pulling the pillow tighter over his ears. Dear gods, is that what Dende had been listening to from them for the past few years? Piccolo felt his face go hot. There was a reason Nameks shouldn't live together if they had mates. "Just knock me out," Piccolo muttered. "Jenny, if there is an ounce of mercy in you, you will put me out cold."

She shook her head and lifted the covers to scooted closer to him in the bed. She curled around him, resting her head on his chest, and looked up at him, "Can I cuddle with your unconscious body and or fondle slash molest you?"

"That's so not funny right now," he growled, wincing as an exceptionally loud cry issued from Dende's throat. He didn't understand what was going on. One minute, Dende and the caseworker had been at the party, the next they were gone without saying a word and hardly anybody had missed them until it was time to say goodbye. Everyone had seen the lightning in the sky and heard the rumbling of the dragon, wondering what on earth was happening. And then the whole world went silent. For a long time, they all just stood quiet in the yard of Capsule Corp, looking up at the sky, not a one of them making a sound, not even the children. There was a peace that seemed to settle across the whole planet; all of them could sense it in the silence. And then, an enormous power seemed to fill the air that lasted for hours, without a source. No one could explain it. Until now. That same power, so vast and mighty that it made even the bravest of their warriors tremble, was now emanating from Dende's bedroom. "Just try to go to sleep, Jenny," Piccolo told her and squeezed his eyes shut.

* * *

Rose gave the antennae one last, long suck before she let them pop from her mouth with a loud smack of her lips. Dende's paralysis wore off almost immediately and he thrust harshly into her, making her cry out.

Dende almost cried in relief that he could move. That was oh so good. He rolled them over in the next second, grasping her hands in his, moving them above her head, and leaned down to her on his forearms. He looked deeply into her eyes as he thrust into her again, unable to stop the chorus of moans from his mouth. His antenna were still twitching, tingling from the sensations she bestowed upon him. He thrust into her again. He wasn't going to last long, but he wanted to make her come with him, cross that peak together. He leaned down and captured her lips, rocking his hips gently, slowing down trying to make the moment last. He pulled back, raining kisses on over her face, "Rose... come with me. Please... I'm so close..." He could feel himself starting to crest.

He was so deep within her body, hitting a sensitive spot that made her whole body tense up. She could feel it boiling deep within her as he thrust into her. "D-Dende," she gasped, her breath hitching in her throat. "OH, GODS, YES! OH DENDE! OH! OHHHH!" she screamed in the darkness of the Lookout as they came, his body pouring into hers as she tightened around him, his roar of pleasure mixing with her cries, that white-hot bliss slamming through their senses until they were both a sweating, panting heap upon the bed. "Oh... Dende..." she gasped as he collapsed over her chest. She threw her arms around his neck, tears starting to pour down her face. "Oh, my love," she sobbed.

Dende held her close, tears running down his face as well. So good. It was so good. "Dear heart," He whispered to her, "I love you so much." He kissed her tears away. Exhaustion tugged at his senses. He carefully pulled back, shuddering as he slipped from her body and he fell to his side, panting. He tugged her to him, relishing in their sweat slicked skin sliding together. He pulled on his blankets and covered them both up. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face into her hair. The world felt better. It felt right. He didn't know what was going to happen next, but as long as she was with him, it didn't matter.


	43. Babies Babies EVERYWHERE

Rose happily bit into a bagel as she sat at the table the next morning with Dende. She was sore in places she didn't even know she had and she was deliriously happy. She took his hand in hers and pulled him closer to press a kiss to his lips. "I love you," she murmured to him.

Dende nearly trembled, the butterflies filling his stomach again at her touch and her words. He hoped that feeling never faded. "Not nearly as much as I love you," he answered back.

Jenny and Piccolo walked into the kitchen, a smug look on Jenny's face as she tossed a box of condoms and a spare pregnancy test to Rose. "Damn fertile Nameks."

Rose caught the box and stared at Jenny in surprise. "Wh-What?" She looked over at Dende, "Did you tell them about last night?!"

Jenny sat down in the seat across from her, grinning like mad. "In case you forgot, dear. My husband's also a Namek. They all have really, really sensitive hearing. That being said, I didn't need special hearing to hear what you two were doing last night." She leaned close, loving the blush that appeared on both of their faces, "You did the antenna thing, didn't you?"

Rose was mortified. She dropped the condoms and pregnancy test in her lap and clapped her hands to her face. "How did you... oh my gods..." She felt as though she could crawl in a hole and die.

Dende was turning fifteen shades of purple, "Ah, oops! Sorry about that. We kinda got lost in ourselves." He looked to Rose, a happy, contented look appearing on his face and he reached out and took her hand in his. He regained his composure looking back at Jenny. "Think of it as payback," he laughed.

"We were NEVER that loud," Piccolo muttered, crossing his arms.

Jenny was having too much fun. She knew Rose had figured out the antenna thing, because Piccolo made the same strangled noise when she did it to him. She ran her eyes up her husband's tall form as he leaned against the kitchen counter. She licked her lips seductively. "Maybe that's what we need to get things going," she grinned. "I'm giving you a son one way or another. I could just tie you to the bed and play with your antennae-"

"Enough," Piccolo barked, feeling his face burn. He closed his eyes and shook his head slowly, his eye twitching. Didn't his wife have a filter on her mouth? He sighed. He knew she did. She was doing this on purpose, just to see whose face would blush the most.

She sat back in her chair and laughed loudly at the blatant embarrassment on their faces. It was too amusing. "Okay," she groaned as she got back to her feet and fixed her husband with a stare that said she meant business. "You. Bedroom. Naked. NOW."

Rose clapped her hands to her mouth to hide her giggle as Piccolo opened his mouth to protest, but the next second, Jenny grabbed him by his long, pointed ear and dragged him out of the kitchen. "Maybe we should hide at my apartment for the day," she whispered to Dende.

He grinned toothily at her in a smile that showed off his fangs and made her shiver. "As long as I'm with you my love, I don't care where we go."

* * *

Goku lounged on the couch in Gohan's living room after supper, watching Goten as he played on the floor with Phoenix. It was nice to finally be able to relax and not worry for a little bit. Goten was safe here with his brother and Goku didn't have to worry about him being abused or going hungry. Gohan and Lindsey had already talked to him and decided that Goten would go to public school in the fall so that he could make friends and experience school like most kids. Goten was excited about it.

This had worked out for the best. Goku could come and visit whenever he liked and didn't have to worry about asking permission or waiting until an appointed time to see his son. Plus it gave him an excuse to try and steal Phoenix away more often, too. He grinned and wrinkled his nose at Phoenix as the tiny Saiyan looked up at him and gave a huge smile. He couldn't believe how big his grandson was now.

Gohan walked into the living room with Lindsey, holding her hand as he sat down on the couch beside his father. He cleared his throat and looked at Lindsey before he turned his attention to Goku. "Hey, Dad, we, ah, we have something to tell you."

Goku tipped his head in concern at Gohan. He looked a little nervous. Oh gods, what NOW? He forced himself to stay calm and managed a smile, despite the apprehension on his son's face. "What is it, son? Everything alright?"

"Oh, yeah, everything's fine," Gohan answered. He tried to hide his smile as he pulled Lindsey into his lap. "Soooo, ah, welll..."

Lindsey grinned, looking from her husband to Goku. She looked like she was about to burst with excitement.

"Oh, you just tell him," Gohan chuckled.

Lindsey met Goku's eyes and smiled even wider, "You're gonna be a grandpa again."

Goku's eyes went wide, disbelief and surprise covering his face before a bright smile came over his face. "What?! Really?! You're pregnant again!? That's fantastic news!" He stood up and drug them both into his arms to give them a warm hug. "Oh wow! Now I'll have two grand kids! Careful. I might steal one away." He couldn't get over it. He loved it when Phoenix had been born, holding that little tiny life in his hands. It was the most amazing feeling. He let them go and crouched down, placing a wide hand over Lindsey's belly. He looked up at them excitedly, "When are you due?"

"October," Lindsey answered. She giggled, "Uh, Dad, there's something else."

Gohan handed Goku a small black and white ultrasound photo.

"See?" Lindsey said pointing at the two small images, "There's one baby and there's the other!" She couldn't stop smiling, watching Goku's reaction. He'd been so sad for so long, she was happy to have good news to share with him for once.

Goku's jaw fell open, "Two?!" He grinned up at her, his eyes sparkling, full of excitement and wonder. "You have two little ones inside you?!" He rubbed her belly gently, looking intensely at the skin under his hand, trying with all his might to feel them without pressing too hard. "Oh wow!" he breathed. Two. Wouldn't that be something? Now he would have three grandchildren and Goten to train with. He was already making plans in his head, wondering how strong each of them would be when they got big enough to train. He grinned back at them, "Congratulations you guys! I'm so happy for you! Oh wow... just... wow! Can I keep this?" He asked gesturing to the photo.

"Of course!" Gohan grinned, "That one's for you."

Lindsey smiled down at Goku, the way he was pressing against her belly. "Dad, they're too little to feel like that yet," she laughed. She placed her hand over his. "Calm down. Try to sense their energy. It's really small, but it's there. Feel it?"

Goku closed his eyes and forced his mind to calm for just a moment. It was hard to do, though. He was so excited. He reached out with his senses, his grin growing wider when he felt the tiny little energies inside of her. He felt giddy. "Wow," he whispered. Chichi had never let him do this when she was pregnant with either of their kids. Never let him hold the babies. He leaned down, resting his head on her tummy, speaking quietly, "Hey there guys. I'm gonna be your grandpa. I can't wait to see you two."

Lindsey laughed lightly and scratched at Goku's scalp. "They'll be here before you know it," she said. "Maybe I'll get my little girl this time."

Gohan shook his head, "Well, there's one grandson you can see already," he laughed as Phoenix crawled over and tugged at the leg of Goku's pants.

Goku laughed and sat up straight again before he leaned down and scooped up his grandson, beaming at him, "Hey there, Phoenix! What are you up to kiddo?" He rubbed his nose against his smaller one, laughing with him. He couldn't wait to go and tell Sabriena and Tien about the good news. This was fantastic. His family was safe and happy and growing. Nothing could have made him happier.

* * *

**Author's Note:** One chapter left! Sorry this one was kind of short. The next one will be shorter, too. But we had to set a few things up for the NEXT story. Muahahahahahaha...


	44. On Top of the World

**Three Months Later:**

This was crazy. Stupid, even. Dende paced back and forth on the white tiles of the Lookout, clutching at the small velvet box in his hands. Why? Why was he nervous? He knew what she would say, this was practically a formality now. He'd probably proposed to her a thousand times over in their past lives. What made this one different? _'You weren't green in those lives.'_ He shook his head. Maybe it was the whole inviting her to live all the way out there at the Lookout thing. It was hardly convenient for her, with her work and such.

Jenny sighed, shifting Alice to another arm, her little girl was getting heavy. And Dende was making her dizzy. "Would you just go and propose already? Oh, wait, you had like dinner plans or something, right? At that new restaurant next to the park? Near the pond right?"

He nodded at her. Somehow he had gotten his brother to agree that Rose could live there with them. It was going to be an adjustment for him. Piccolo still didn't like having too many people around all the time. Not to mention night time, with the Namek's sensitive hearing. They were all going to have to invest in some high-quality earplugs.

"You know she's going to say yes," Piccolo said, watching his brother pace back and forth. He sighed as he crossed his arms, watching. Dende's nervous demeanor could wear on him sometimes. It was Rose, his true soul mate. They were so head-over-heels for each other, it nearly made Piccolo sick. He couldn't figure out why on earth Dende was so nervous about this. "What's gotten into you?"

Dende stopped his pacing and looked over the edge of the Lookout, at the world miles below. All was calm at the moment, like the quiet before the storm. "I just... I mean... What if... What if she doesn't want to live all the way up here?"

Jenny rolled her mouth and was about to say something, but her eldest daughter suddenly marched past her with determination in her eyes and went right up to Dende and pushed him over the side, proclaiming, "You no wait! You Go!"

Dende was not going to ever admit that it was a girlish shriek that came out of his throat as he suddenly found himself free falling, his fingers tightening around the ring box like a vice as he did. He would have to thank Paige later and he powered up and took off through the sky towards Rose's apartment, hoping she could forgive him for being a little late.

* * *

Rose paced her kitchen, her high heels clicking as she walked. Dende was late. He'd seemed nervous when he asked her to dinner this evening and for the life of her, she couldn't figure out why. Now she was getting nervous. She hoped something hadn't happened to him or one of his friends. Maybe he'd decided he didn't want to go out for some reason. People always did tend to stare at him. And he hadn't mentioned where he was taking her. He just said to dress nice. So here she was in a little black dress that was a bit too short for her long legs, her hair and makeup fixed, and not a word from Dende.

She was just about to kick off her heels and order some takeout when there was a knock at the door. Her breath caught in her chest and a wide smile split her face. She threw open the door, absolutely beaming at the Namek before her. "Hi baby," she grinned and pressed her lips to his, wrapping her arms around his neck. Oh, she would never get over this feeling. This content, butterflies, heart pounding in her ears, head over heels in love feeling. She pulled back slightly from him. "Are you okay? What took so long?"

Dende wrapped his arms around her contently; he was wearing a suit again, of all things. He chuckled at her, kissing her again before he pulled back. "I was waiting for a three year old to push me out the door. I'm sorry I'm late." He held out his arm to her, "Shall we? I hope you're hungry." He almost had to remember where he was going. There was a new restaurant near the park with this beautiful porch seating that over looked the pond and it was all done up in beautiful lights. He wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but Bulma had assured him the restaurant was vegetarian friendly and that she reserved him the best table in the house with a spectacular view of the park. "Have you tried the restaurant that's near the park yet?"

Rose slipped her hand into the crook of Dende's elbow and fell into step beside him. "Oooo! No, I haven't! I heard it's amazing, though," she smiled. Her eyes swept over him; gods, he was so handsome. And she couldn't deny the fact that she loved that he was tall enough that she could wear her heels and not be taller than him. "You look so good in that suit," she smiled.

The warm summer evening air washed over them as they walked, bringing with it the scent of the flowers in full bloom and the smell of food wafting from the restaurant. Despite the line to get in, Dende somehow got them a table without having to wait.

Dende pulled her chair out for her first, pushing her up to the table before he sat down himself. Smiling at her, he could barely remember what he had been so nervous about. Their table was small enough to be close, but big enough for their plates that would come. He reached across the table, taking her hand in his, swallowing deeply, "You are breathtaking, as always. I've never seen anyone so beautiful." He reached out and brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear.

Rose felt her face go hot as he touched her. She squeezed his hand and smiled. "Thank you, my love," she answered softly. "You look amazing as well." The soft lights overhead cast a beautiful glow around them. The view of the pond was spectacular. Rose couldn't stop smiling to save her life. She barely noticed as the waiter came and took their order; she just couldn't tear her eyes away from Dende. "How did I ever get so lucky to have you in my life?" she asked.

Dende looked at her seriously, cupping her cheek, "The gods really didn't want us to get together this time. They made me another species on another planet." He shook his head, "I can't wait to do this, Rose. I apologize. I was going to take you on a walk through the park after dinner, but I have to know. My love, my dearest heart." He got up and went to her side and dropped to one knee, reaching into his pocket pulling out the ring box, opening it and presenting it to her. "Would you do me the greatest honor and live with me up on the top of the world as my wife? Will you marry me?"

Rose gasped as Dende presented the beautiful ring. She felt tears well up in her eyes as he looked up at her, looking nervous and excited at the same time. "YES!" she cried, "A millions times YES!" She threw herself forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. Her heart was soaring as a single happy tear rolled down her cheek. "I love you," she whispered against his lips before she kissed him again. And again. His wife. She couldn't think of anything she could ever want more. Going home to him every single night for the rest of her life. She finally withdrew from him and held out her left hand, trying to steady it as it shook with excitement.

Dende was shaking as well as he took the ring from the box and held her hand gently as he slipped the ring on to it. He smiled up at her widely, "Oh my gods, Rose." He kissed her again, wrapping her up in his arms, his nose touching hers. "Are you sure? It's a long way to the Lookout. Though, you know I would travel a million miles and more for you. Lightyears, even." He grinned. He already had, thanks to Goku.

"As long as I get to come home to you, I don't care how far it is," she answered, staring into his gorgeous black eyes. She lightly pressed her lips to his again, still staring into his eyes. "You really want me to come live with you? Are Jenny and Piccolo okay with that?"

Dende nodded, standing up and going back to his seat, his hand never breaking from Rose's. "We had a long, long talk about it, and we decided we have plenty of room to include you in the family space." He chuckled, "Jenny said she'd buy earplugs for the wild nights," He blushed deeply, but he was grateful, "It will work." He smiled at her and pressed her fingers to his lips.

"You just made me the happiest woman in the entire world," Rose smiled, wiping away a tear with her free hand. "I can't think of anything more that I could want for the rest of my life." Rose felt like she must be dreaming. This was too good to be true. The waiter placed their food before them and Dende thanked him. Rose barely glanced at her food. "I think I may be too excited to eat," she giggled, but picked up her fork with her free hand and took a bite. "Oh my gosh," she gushed, still holding Dende's hand, "this is amazing."

Dende sighed happily, not even paying attention to the food, "Yes, you are." He kissed her hand again and they both ate their meal, the world busy around them, but time stood still when their eyes met. It seemed as though their meal was over in seconds when in fact it had been hours. The sky was bright with the full moon, stars scattered about, as if the very forces of nature were trying to make this night perfect.

Dende led Rose through the park, the soft warm lights, dancing in the trees lighting their path, "I'll help you move, of course. We can pack things into capsules to make it easier. I'm sure Bulma has some we can borrow. Goku will probably want to help. He will make it easy."

"I can't wait to tell everyone," Rose smiled, leaning her head against Dende's shoulder as they walked. Her mind suddenly filled with all sorts of questions. When could they get married? How big of a wedding? What dress would she wear? What color flowers? Her mind was whirling with options and she shook her head, blushing slightly. She knew Dende surely heard her thoughts that time. She giggled, "So did you tell anyone besides Piccolo and Jenny? You know, that you were going to propose?"

Dende chuckled at the thoughts of his other half, "Aside from Bulma, no, but you should know, they all were expecting it any way. I doubt our news will come as a surprise, but rest assured, they will act it. That's the family for you." He smiled at her, "I'm glad you decided to be part of it." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer.

Rose pressed up against him, stealing another kiss. "I guess I should start packing, huh?" she giggled. "I don't suppose I could stay the night tonight? Or you could stay with me so Piccolo could actually get a night's sleep."

Dende chuckled and swept her up into his arms, "I would love to spend the night with you. In your bed, surrounded by your scent. Sounds like a slice of heaven to me." He lifted off the ground, carrying them to her apartment building. "I'll help you start packing, too. I cannot wait to have you at the Lookout. The last thing I see when I go to sleep, the first thing I see when I wake."

Rose giggled and rubbed her nose against Dende's as he carried her into the apartment and up the stairs. His antennae brushed against her forehead, making her smile and blush. Oh, the things she wanted to do with those. She wanted to bring him every possible pleasure that she could. She kissed him deeply as he carried her into the apartment, sliding her tongue against his, drinking in the fresh taste of him, shivering as she felt his fangs lightly scrape against her lip.

Dende kicked the door closed behind him, leaning in and nibbling her neck, sighing happily. He could hear her thoughts and he chuckled, "You are too kind, my dear, but it is as they say, ladies first?" He picked her up, placing her on her bed, sitting down next to her. "Though you are too beautiful, almost too pretty to unwrap."

Rose cupped Dende's cheek in her hand, stroking her thumb across his lips. He looked so amazing in the low light; her heart raced again at the thought of him spending the night with her tonight. Every night from now on they could be together. Her hands went to his tie, slowly loosing it from his neck, and she began to pop open the buttons of his shirt, never taking her eyes from his. "All I want to do is make you happy," she whispered.

The Namek lifted his hands up, sliding her straps from her shoulders, placing kisses to her bare flesh. He reached around, sliding down the zipper, helping her from her dress. His breath hitched, "I was wrong. Clothing should never hide such beauty." He leaned down and kissed her carefully, "You always make me happy. After so many years alone, all I need is you by my side to make me happy."

* * *

**Final Author's Note: **Thanks once again to all of our readers and reviewers! Can you believe we edited and posted this whole thing in only one week? YEAH, BITCHES! JC 87 and I will start the next story tonight. It will NOT go up as quickly as this one did because we only have the basic ideas for it so far. We don't have the chapters written out like we did for this story. We don't have a title for it yet, but if you guys want, I can send you links through the PM here when the first chapter gets posted. Just leave me a message or a review if you want me to do that! You guys are awesome and we hope you enjoyed this story and that you will stick around for the next one!


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